Ode to the Witch
by Magical Irish Dolphin
Summary: A continuation of The Music Box with Willie, Maggie, the ghost of Josette, and many others - Julia's quest to cure Barnabas becomes complicated with Angelique's arrival, who not only wants Barnabas to suffer, but wants to become mistress of Collinwood. But the ghosts have other ideas. Chapter 5 is finally up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Dark Shadows is** **a Dan Curtis Production and not mine**

* * *

CHAPTER 1: THE WITCH'S WARNING

The portrait of Josette Collins perched dominantly above the fireplace mantel in the parlor as her prisoner and beloved slept on his armchair by the fire.

Barnabas Collins stirred hauntingly in his slumber. This was indeed a rather unusual and peculiar sight. Barnabas was a creature of the night. A vampire. He caused much deaths and suffering by merely being what he was. He caused nightmares not received them.

Furthermore, a monster like Barnabas doesn't sleep in a silk robe on his armchair. He sleeps in his coffin in his tailor-made suit. And he especially doesn't sleep in the middle of the night.

A cold winter's night crept up to the seemingly abandoned Old House on the Collinwood estate. It wasn't snowing, but a severe icy wind assaulted the windows and roughly banged the shutters.

Candle light illuminated the parlor, and the burning fireplace left it's eerie golden glow as always. But the chill of the winter was awful. The burning fire couldn't keep Barnabas warm. Not that he minded the cold. He lived the cold, even nourished by it. But this particular chill was attacking him. Attacking him out of hatred and spite.

There was nothing that the ghosts of his family could do to prevent this. Not even his dear Josette.

The cruel winter wind blew the front double doors in the foyer wide open, snuffing out all the flames from the candles in its harsh impact.

The entire Old House plunged into cold darkness leaving the glow of the fireplace as the only source of light.

Barnabas struggled on his armchair wrestling in his torment.

A figure emerged from the shadows outside the front doors. An outline of a woman in a earth-colored cloak and matching pagan dress. She had long curly blonde hair, and round sea-blue eyes. But there was nothing innocent about these eyes. They had seen and caused many horrors and agonies.

Angelique had come for her Barnabas. She lurked inside the old manor, a house she once for a brief time shared with Barnabas as man and wife.

She stalked into the parlor and knelt beside the armchair where the man she both loved and despised slept uneasily. She caress his dark hair with icy fingers, causing him to flinch from her touch.

But the witch continued stroking his hair anyway.

"You shall never be rid of me Barnabas," she whispered to him evenly. "My love and my curse shall cling to you for all eternity. And it will cause death and destruction for anyone who loves you. There is nothing that can lift it and no one can help you. Not your family, your friends, or even your precious Josette."

At those last words, Barnabas stirred much more violently. His long fingers clenched the arms of his chair as Angelique continued stroking his sleek hair contentedly.

The vampire couldn't sense the spirit of Josette. She didn't seem to be anywhere. Not even the melody of her music box was present. This was unsettling. Josette's ghost was the proper mistress of the Old House. She conquered Barnabas and held him as her prisoner in order to regained this house.

But she wasn't anywhere. Angelique must've done something to her. Or some massive amount of black magic did something to her.

If he didn't know any better, Barnabas swore he felt Josette's portrait fading away above the fireplace mantel.

* * *

A special section was created in the Old House's basement for Dr. Julia Hoffman to set up her laboratory. Her equipment of chemistry tubes, electrical devices, and a personal cauldron brewing various serums had absolutely confounded the ghostly residence when they were brought down here.

Barnabas laid unconscious strapped on a wooden chair where Julia gave him the injection earlier. Julia, along with the ghost of Josette Collins, had found that the cursed vampire was not handling his treatments well.

He violently stirred in his unconsciousness, with the straps from the chair holding him down in restraint. The left sleeve of his dress shirt was pulled up passed where Julia gave him the injection.

The lab was lit with various torches and candles, sinisterly illuminating the space in a menacing glow, with shadows leaping up on the dark cobwebbed stone walls and dark ceilings.

"Josette!" Barnabas called frighteningly in his slumber, turning his head left to right with his eyes shut tight. "Josette!"

The ghostly mistress of the Old House lovingly knelt beside the vampire, and tenderly grasped his strapped cold hand with her freezing transparent ones.

_"Barnabas?"_ she echoed in concerned.

She remembered when he fell ill so long ago and he called out to her like this. That was before he died and turned into a monster.

Julia observed her subject's negative reaction to her treatments critically, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her white lab coat.

"_I fail to see what good these bizarre experiments have done for my son."_

The ghost of Joshua Collins floated up behind Julia in a spine tingling chill. He was garbed in his tight trousers, boots, and blue frock coat, while Josette was in her flowing white gown and veil as always.

_"It's pointless!"_ Joshua argued to Julia. _"These fanciful devices have done nothing to lift the curse!"_

Julia slide her steely gaze on the old patriarch. When she was in medical school, she never imagined she would be working in a basement dungeon with ghosts tending to a vampire patient. But she was glad she finally found the discovery she had been craving and dreaming for all her life.

"Mr. Collins, I keep telling you it's going to take time."

_"She has done nothing wrong,"_ Josette cut in civilly, still trying to console the troubled sleeping Barnabas on his chair. _"It's Angelique._ _I swear it is. She is tormenting him somehow." _

* * *

In his bed at the Evans cottage across town, Willie Loomis shot up through his covers in a yelp. Alone in his darkened bedroom, Willie wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and felt the prickling sensation under the scars on his wrist and neck where his old master marked him.

It felt as though a bug was crawling under his skin.

Willie wheezed panically. He just had a dream about Barnabas.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Changes at Collinwood**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Dark Shadows is** **a Dan Curtis Production and not mine**

* * *

CHAPTER 2: CHANGES AT COLLINWOOD

The cold, dark, misty morning bleakly shrouded the Evans cottage. The mist from outside fogged up the windows and French doors in Maggie Evans' bedroom as the young woman herself fluttered open her eyes.

She just awakened from a desolate atmosphere, filled with dust, cobwebs, and deep shadows. Dreary music hovered in the air faintly, a somber vintage little piece. But all of this quickly drifted in Maggie's consciousness, and the next thing she knew, she was in the comfort familiarity of her warm small bed.

Before she opened her eyes however, Maggie felt someone lying beside her. Unsurprising to her, Maggie found Willie Loomis nestling next to her under the covers sound asleep, his arm wrapped securely around her slender frame.

This was not unsettling.

Ever since Josette Collins released them from the Old House, Maggie and Willie had suffered from some pretty severe nightmares. Willie's in particular seemed especially graphic.

Barnabas Collins forced him to do some unspeakable things, and his eyes were still haunted by them. Since living in the Evans cottage, Maggie and Willie would soothed each other when one of them suffered from these nightmares.

This would sometimes result in the two of them falling asleep together side-by-side. This became pretty comforting after a while, and whenever Willie suffered from one of his nightmares, he would sneak into Maggie's bedroom like this.

Maggie knew that was the reason why he was here.

Gazing up at the nightstand with her head resting comfortably on her soft pillow, Maggie glanced at the clock and found it was five-fifty-five in the morning. She also gazed at the little antique doll Sarah Collins left lying beside the clock.

Sarah Collins was no ordinary little girl. She was a ghost Maggie befriended when she was being held prisoner by Barnabas at the Old House. But Maggie hadn't seen the little ghost girl in weeks. Maggie wondered what became of her.

Willie began to stir beside her and slowly opened his eyes.

Maggie gently stroked his forearm.

"Hello, snuggles," she said to him in a teasing smile.

"Mornin', Maggie." Willie groaned and groggily sat up rubbing his blurry eyes.

His sandy blonde hair sticked up in all directions, and Maggie's own auburn hair was pretty ruffled itself.

"Did you have another nightmare about Barnabas?" Maggie asked him.

"I-I... think he was outta his coffin," Willie stammered. "My scars has been buggin' me all night."

At that, Maggie touched her own bite marks on the side of her neck. She couldn't possibly say if they have bugged her, but she wasn't quite as attuned to Barnabas as Willie was.

"I-I... wanted to make sure he hadn't come in here." Willie dropped his gaze on the sheets and covers.

Maggie tenderly grasped his chin, forcing him to look straight at her.

"Josette won't let him out of his coffin," she said surely.

Willie was uncertain of that.

After that gloomy silence, Maggie said, "Look, we will talk about this later. I think you should sneak out of here before pop..."

Too late. Maggie's father Sam Evans creaked open the bedroom door.

"Maggie..." He paused when he spotted Willie in his daughter's bed.

His round eyes bulged.

"Good morning, pop." Maggie smiled nervously.

"Mornin'." Willie awkwardly waved next to her.

Sam leaned against the door frame, and heaved a heavy sigh. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, I have no problem with you two... for some whatever reason... drift off on the couch..."

"Pop..." Maggie tried to explained.

"But this is a bed!" Sam cut her off exasperated.

"Nothing happened," Maggie exclaimed steadily. "Willie had a nightmare and he needed me."

"That gives him an excuse to climb into your bed?!" Sam demanded shrilly. "What is he? Six?!"

"I-I would n-never do anythin' t-to h-hurt Maggie." Willie got up from under the covers. He was in a white T-shirt and boxer shorts, a sight that clearly didn't pleased Sam. "Y'know that, dontcha?" Willie gave him a pleading look.

"Yes, Willie," Sam said begrudgingly. "I know you helped her, and you've been real useful around here, but an unmarried couple lying in bed together..."

At those words, a violent flash streaked across Maggie's eyelids. Horrid memories of being in Josette's wedding gown combined with Barnabas ravenously drinking her blood in a tight thirst inwardly assaulted her.

"Willie," Maggie uttered distantly, finding herself back in her bed in her bedroom.

"Is there somethin' wrong, Maggie?" Willie asked her in concerned.

"No." Maggie shook her head. "Why don't you get dressed. I'll talk to pop."

"Ya sure?"

"Yes, I'll be out shortly," Maggie told him assuredly.

Willie was clearly uncertain by this, but said, "All right."

He passed by Sam at the doorway, and Sam shut the door behind him, leaving him alone with his daughter.

"Now, you probably think I'm being annoyingly old-fashioned... I know you kids are into... loose living nowadays..."

"Pop, nothing happened," Maggie cut him off firmly. "Willie and I been through a lot together. We've been through too much. But we don't have that kind of relationship."

Sam looked at her softly and sat on the end of the bed.

"Be that as it may, you two developed a tight bond and a special closeness," he said. "And his feelings for you are obvious."

"I know," Maggie murmured. "He's sweet and he's not pressuring me into anything. And I do have feelings for him."

"So when is the wedding?" Sam asked lightly.

Maggie tensed up her shoulders.

"Darling?" A frown creased across Sam's forehead.

"I'm not interested in marriage, pop," Maggie said hesitantly. "And neither is Willie."

"What?" Sam said softly.

"It's one of the reasons why I ended it with Joe," Maggie said miserably. "I just couldn't commit to him that way."

"Oh, Maggie..." Sam was at a lost for words.

"Ever since Barnabas..." Maggie struggled to explained. "Pop, I think he killed the aspiration of marriage for me."

* * *

After that disheartening discussion, Maggie changed out of her long pink nightgown and put on her waitressing uniform. She pulled her shoulder-length hair back in a simple ponytail and had a quick breakfast with her pop and Willie, where the three seemed to come to an unspoken agreement to not discuss what happened earlier.

After saying goodbye to Sam, Willie and Maggie got into Willie's beat up truck (which Maggie sometimes referred to as the junker mobile) and drove to work at the Collinsport Inn.

The two didn't say much on the trip there. Maggie could tell that despite Willie's polite exterior, he was immensely displeased by Sam's intrusion into Maggie's bedroom.

Maggie had the distinct impression that Willie had been in... well... mature relationships before he came to Collinsport. He clearly hadn't enjoyed Sam barging in on their privacy.

Willie seemed to wish that the older man would accept their relationship for what it was, two people who suffered from an unbelievable hell together, and would like to do nothing more than to be there for one another, comforting cuddles and all.

But Maggie knew Willie wished their relationship would grow into something more. She could see it every time she looked at him, his devotion and feelings for her flashing in his eyes. A look Maggie found both sweet and overwhelming.

It was a typical day at work. Willie made several repairs throughout the Inn, while Maggie served coffee and burgers at the diner.

Out the windows, the skies were completely gray and frosty. Curtains of winter snow fell from the sky. Christmas would be arriving soon, and after that whole ordeal with Barnabas, Maggie would like nothing more than to celebrate the season quietly with Willie and her pop at the cottage.

Around three o'clock, Willie came into the diner on break. The diner was empty of customers, and Maggie had something for her companion.

"Hey." She smiled cheerily. "I got something for you."

"Y'do?" Willie lifted his brows.

Maggie pulled out two steamy mugs from under the counter. They were filled with warm liquid chocolate and marshmallows.

"I made us hot chocolate," she said. "I figure it's a perfect day for it."

"Oh, gee, thanks Maggie." Willie took a sip. The sweet and warm liquid chocolate and marshmallows pleasantly assuaged his tongue.

"Are you on break?" Willie asked Maggie as she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

She swallowed. "Since I don't have any customers, yeah."

"So, you can keep me company," said Willie.

"If I must."

Maggie watched him take another sip of his warm and creamy hot chocolate.

"So, Christmas is coming pretty soon," Maggie said conversationally. "Are you looking forward to spending it with me and pop?"

"Christmas didn't mean much where I come from," Willie told her frankly.

Maggie's pleasant smile dramatically dropped. She knew Willie didn't come from a stable background and likely had plenty of lousy Christmases when he was growing up.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Oh, I don't mind spendin' it with ya," Willie assured her.

"I just want it to be quiet and simple," Maggie insisted. "Our first Christmas together."

"I bet you never thought you'll be spendin' a Christmas with me, didja?" Willie smirked.

"Not when we first met, no," Maggie admitted sheepishly. "But we are."

Willie's eyes plainly told her he was greatly anticipating this. Sharing a special holiday with her and experiencing something entirely new.

That soft look in his eyes caused Maggie to unthinkingly stroke his cheek. It was gentle and silent between them, and when Maggie found herself drawing closer to him, they got walked in on by two customers; her ex-boyfriend Joe Haskell and his ex-girlfriend Carolyn Stoddard.

In their searing presence, Maggie awkwardly withdrew from Willie, and quickly went up to serve them.

Joe and Carolyn picked a table in the center of the diner and hung their coats behind their chairs.

"Hello." Maggie pulled out her notebook and pencil to take their order.

"Hello, Maggie," Joe replied courteously as he and Carolyn sat down.

"Hi, Maggie, how have you been?" Carolyn asked her.

"Good. What would you two have?"

"My usual," Joe answered her.

"Same here," added Carolyn.

Maggie wrote down their usual hamburger order, and told them, "It'll be right up."

She returned behind the counter and shouted the order to the cook in the back kitchen.

As Joe and Carolyn chatted amongst themselves at their table, Maggie finished her hot chocolate with Willie at the counter. The two didn't say much. Whatever intimate spell that was cast between them was now abruptly broken due to Joe Haskell's presence.

Maggie still harbored guilty feelings for breaking his heart when she got released from her captivity. She did loved him once, but Barnabas changed her. Maggie couldn't give Joe what he needed; to live a normal life of marriage and children.

Her conversation with Sam that morning crept unwantedly into her mind, but Maggie quickly shoved them aside.

She wished she could tell Joe what she went through. He'd always been so sweet to her, but Maggie agreed to keep a horrible secret. A secret within the Collins family, but Carolyn and the rest of the Collinses can't know about it, and it must remained that way.

Maggie also wished she could make Joe and the rest of Collinsport understand why Willie had become so important in her life and how he truly changed for the better.

Their relationship did not revolve around that fabricated tale of him rescuing her from some escaping hooligans. They really went through hell together and stared evil in the face. But Joe must never know that.

He had no choice but to accept that Willie became a part of Maggie's life. Just like how Maggie had to accept Joe becoming close to Carolyn again.

That stung a little, considering Carolyn had badly deceived and hurt Joe in the past and was dead-set on marrying a biker until she came to her senses. Maggie feared Joe might set himself up for another painful fall. But there was nothing she could do about it.

The two were no longer close as they once were. Even though Willie rescued Maggie, Joe couldn't stand him being around her and the feeling was mutual for Willie. He kept his back stiffly toward Joe, who in turn tried to keep his attention solely on Carolyn.

It was bluntly obvious Willie hated Joe's intrusion on his private moment with Maggie, even more so than Sam's. That was the second time that day an intimate moment got disrupted.

Maggie deeply wondered if all this awkward tension would ever come to an end.

Once the burgers were done, Maggie served them to Joe and Carolyn. After pouring them some coffee, Maggie quietly retreated behind the counter. Willie finished the remainder of his hot chocolate.

Just when he was about to get back to work, Victoria Winters and her fiancé Burke Devlin entered the diner enthusiastically, dressed in their winter coats. Vicki had an immensely bright smile on her face, while Burke seemed pretty pleased and happy himself.

After quickly saying hi to Joe and Carolyn at their table, Vicki and Burke hurried their way to the counter.

"Hello, Maggie, hello, Willie," Vicki said happily.

"Hi, Vicki," Maggie replied as cheerily as her friend.

Willie tried to politely excuse himself. Before he became Barnabas' slave, Willie had not got along with Burke. In fact, Willie even once vowed to kill him in a moment of petty spite. Since enduring so many horrors when he unchained Barnabas from his coffin, Willie had grown to hate himself for being that person.

Also, for a brief time, Barnabas was smitten with Vicki and viewed her of being a potential Josette. All of these things made Willie intensely uncomfortable being around the couple and he wanted nothing more than to get back to work. Besides, friendly socialization was never his strongest suit.

"We like for you to stay, Willie." Burke halted him getting up from his stool. "We got a proposition for you."

"A what?" Willie looked at him wearily.

"We got a big offer for you," Vicki proclaimed.

The governess still had that bright smile on her face.

"Well, with the way your glowing, I will say life is treating you well," Maggie remarked to Vicki.

"Well, Vicki and I are planning to get married as soon as possible," said Burke. "But we need to sort out our living arrangements before we do."

"What do you mean?" Maggie frowned.

"The Collinses decided to let us renovate the entire West Wing!" Vicki filled in ecstatically. "It will be just for me and Burke when we marry."

"Wow, that's great," Maggie responded. "But isn't there a house by the sea that you two love?"

"Yes, but it's unfortunately unavailable to us," Vicki explained glumly.

"Yes, apparently some random Collins ancestor came up with the crackpot idea to not legally sell that property until after some several hundred years," sniped Burke.

"And then there's David," Vicki went on. "He's been really withdrawn lately."

"What's wrong with David?" Maggie asked her.

"He says he's seeing more and more ghosts lately," Vicki exclaimed. "And he's been talking to Sarah a lot more."

"Oh?" Maggie wondered if that was the reason she hadn't seen Sarah lately. Barnabas' imprisonment might be keeping all those old Collins ghosts on guard.

"I honestly don't get this Sarah business," Burke stated bluntly. "At first we all thought she was David's imaginary friend, but then Sam saw her, but no other person had seen her since. Outside of David, of course."

Willie and Maggie remained silent.

"I honestly think Sarah is a ghost," Vicki told Burke.

"Vicki..." Burke was rather surprised by her fantastical statement.

"I'm telling you Burke, the ghost of Josette saved me from Matthew Morgan at the Old House. I am convinced there are ghosts at Collinwood."

Burke was at a lost for words. He wanted to put in a reasonable argument in this discussion, but was obviously afraid of being in hot water with his fiancée.

This put Willie and Maggie in an awkward spot. Not only did they know the ghosts of Sarah and Josette were real, but there was also a vampire locked up in the Old House. A vampire Josette was in love with.

But that was the dark secret that must never be revealed.

At this point, Willie wondered what Burke and Vicki possibly wanted from him.

"I need to get workin' on that heater," he muttered, attempting to get up.

"Wait, Willie." Burke once again halted him from getting up from his stool. "We haven't told you of our proposition."

"Well, what d'you want?" Willie asked a little shortly.

"Well, Willie..." Vicki began a little nervously. "I thought you did such a marvelous job renovating the Old House when you were working for Barnabas Collins. Burke and I would like to hire you to renovate the West Wing."

Willie was taken by surprise. "What?!"

"You especially did a beautiful job with Josette's bedroom," Vicki praised. "I think you'll do an excellent job with the West Wing."

Willie dropped his gaze on the counter.

"I-I don't think that's not a v-very good i-idea, Vicki," he stammered guiltily. "The Collins family don't like me very much. I was pretty rotten to 'em when I came here. Now, I d-don't blame 'em. It's what I deserve."

For a time, Willie temporarily lived at Collinwood with his associate Jason McGuire when he was blackmailing Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. Willie never knew what his former friend had over the matriarch. At that time, he was more interested in being an abrasive freeloader and accosting Vicki and Carolyn.

One night he nearly went too far with Carolyn, resulting in her pulling a gun on him. That filled Willie with deep shame now. With Carolyn herself sitting a couple of tables behind him, Willie found himself too guilt-ridden to look at her, even though she long accepted his apology.

"I don't think I can help ya with that, Vicki," Willie declined.

"Oh, Willie, you have changed quite a lot," Vicki argued. "Everyone can see that, even up at Collinwood."

Willie was still unconvinced.

"Willie, Vicki and I had a long talk about this, and she is really convinced you are the right man for the job," said Burke. "I can easily hire fleets of contractors, but Vicki feels you can transform the West Wing into that old world charm she adores so much."

"Just like you did at the Old House, and especially in Josette's bedroom," Vicki said dreamily.

"We'll pay you real well, Loomis," Burke offered.

But that wasn't really tempting to Willie.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want to."

Vicki sighed and shifted her gaze to Maggie.

"Maggie, what do you think?"

"I think you should really consider it Willie."

Maggie's words threw him for a loop.

"What?"

"Vicki is right, you do have a talent for this," Maggie said encouragingly. "I think it can be better off for you. I mean, you don't want to spend the rest of your life here fixing toilets. There's plenty of old houses here and all around New England that could use some resurrection. You could make some honest money doing this."

"Y-you think I-I'm really good fixin' old houses?"

Maggie tenderly grasped his hands from across the counter and squeezed them tightly.

"Of course I do," she replied earnestly.

At her supportive words, Willie was touched and elated. Maggie thought he could do something really productive and was worth something more than just hanging around the Evans cottage eating their food.

Suddenly, he no longer minded that Joe Haskell was in the same room. (In fact, Willie sincerely hoped Joe was getting a massive ear-full of this.)

Burke and Vicki closely noted this little hand holding exchange between them.

"We will pay you real handsomely, Willie," Vicki promised.

Willie imagined buying his own cottage and cuddling up next to Maggie in the bedroom. Best of all, Sam Evans did not rudely interrupt.

"What do you say, Willie?" Burke prodded. "Will you at least come up to Collinwood to check the place out?"

"I think I will." Willie nodded solemnly.

Maggie bestowed him with a very sweet smile.

"Great, can you come after your work is done here?" Burke asked him.

"Sure." Willie shrugged.

"Maggie, why don't you come, too," Vicki suggested.

"Oh, you know I'm terribly allergic to Collinwood, Vicki," said Maggie. "It gives me the creeps."

"But do you think you should see the massive project Willie could be working on," Vicki persuaded. "He's going to make a lot of money out of it, and this could concern you, too."

Maggie reluctantly shrugged. She could not think of anything to talk her way out of this.

"Besides, you went up to Collinwood before, and you did not break out into hives," Vicki teased her.

"True." Maggie conceded in a good-natured smirk.

Deep inside Maggie knew Collinwood was not the same house Barnabas imprisoned her in. But the Old House was on the grounds of the Collinwood estate, and that alone made her not want to go back up there.

But Maggie reminded herself that Barnabas was out of her life and Josette made that possible. She had received a second chance on life and she shouldn't waste it cowering in fear.

"All right." Maggie accepted Vicki's invitation.

"That's great," Vicki said pleased.

"Willie, I tried to examine your handiwork at the Old House," Burke informed him. "But I can't seem to make myself go near that damn place. There's something about it that seems wrong, and I just don't want to get close to it for some reason. It's an odd and unsettling feeling."

Willie and Maggie gave each other a sideways glance.

* * *

After Maggie's shift ended, and Mr. Wells, (the owner of the Collinsport Inn), dismissed Willie for the day, evening arrived. Maggie phoned Sam to informed him that she and Willie are heading up to Collinwood. Maggie explained Burke and Vicki's offer to Willie, and it would be likely they would be a little late for dinner.

Afterward, Maggie put on her coat and climbed into Willie's junker mobile.

Willie had on a long brown coat Maggie gifted him recently. When winter arrived, Maggie figured Willie needed a heavy coat to keep warm. His windbreakers just wouldn't do in the harsh New England winters.

Snow continued to fall in Collinsport as they shakily ride by in the bumpy truck with the windshield wipers battling with the falling snow. Maggie noticed from the passenger seat some bright red and green lights and images of Santa Claus being displayed throughout the town, as well as other Christmas decorations.

In no time, Willie drove his way through the dark frost covered forest, and drove up Widows Hill. From a distance the massive silhouette of Collinwood was obscured by sleek curtains of falling snow from under the dark sky. The truck bumpily rode by the Old House, causing flickering emotions to course through Maggie.

Willie noticed her obvious distress, and said, "I can turn this truck right 'round and take you home."

"No, it's all right Willie," Maggie insisted. "We passed that place. There's no need to turn back now. We're almost there."

"Yeah, but you don't wanna be here," Willie said instinctively. "I can tell."

"No, I don't," Maggie admitted. "But this is important to Vicki, and I am her friend."

"Are ya sure you wanna go to Collinwood?" Willie asked her gently.

"Yes," Maggie answered him. "I really do want to see this project you might be working on. I hope it would be good for you."

"I hope it would be good for you, too," said Willie. "I want this to be good for both of us."

"I can't believe Vicki and Burke are getting married." Maggie smiled fondly. "It wasn't all that long ago when they came to town together. I was working in the diner the night Vicki arrived here. It was how we first met."

"I was there when Burke asked Vicki to marry him," Willie revealed to her.

Maggie raised a delicate brow.

"You were there when he asked her?"

"Yeah, I was hidin' in the bushes when he asked her in the garden," Willie exclaimed.

"Why?" Maggie looked at him baffled.

"For a while Barnabas was... I dunno." Willie wearily looked downward at the steering wheel. "He liked her more than you for bein' his Josette."

"Oh, I see Barnabas liked having his bases covered," Maggie huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But the real Josette is watchin' him now," Willie reminded her.

"Yes, she is," Maggie conceded.

Willie drove closer to the towering shadowy form of Collinwood. The wide gothic three-story mansion was rather imposing and very eerie.

"I wonder if we'll see Josette," Maggie mused. "Or Sarah."

Willie gave her a silent look.

"Hey, if we're going to a haunted house we might as well see our ghost friends," Maggie reasoned.

"I don't wanna see Jeremiah," Willie muttered seriously.

Maggie agreed with him. Jeremiah Collins was the most frightening ghost they'd ever encountered, and they'd encountered quite a bit of ghosts when Barnabas imprisoned them at the Old House. But Jeremiah was the one who took great pleasure in scaring them.

Finally, Willie parked his truck close to the Great House. He and Maggie got out, and trudged their way through the curtain of snow and stepped up to the front double doors of the gothic mansion.

Willie used the knocker to rapped on the doors. Much to their great surprise, the Collins family matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard answered the doors.

"Hello, Mrs. Stoddard," Maggie said politely.

"Hello, Maggie," Elizabeth replied just as polite.

She was noticeably reserved toward Willie. Clearly, memories of Jason McGuire was still raw for her, and Willie seemed to be a constant reminder of that.

"Burke and Vicki invited us over to see the West Wing," Maggie explained to her.

"Yes, they informed me they'd like for Willie to do the renovations," confirmed Elizabeth. "They are upstairs. Please come on in."

Elizabeth invited them in and shut the doors behind them.

"I'm afraid you caught us at an inopportune time. We're expecting Roger back from his trip to Boston, but he hasn't returned yet."

"I hope the weather isn't giving him trouble," said Maggie.

"I hope so, too," said Elizabeth. "I'd like to say that it's wonderful seeing you doing so well after that ordeal you suffered through."

"Thank you," Maggie replied graciously. "Am I to expect you at the diner anytime soon?"

Since Jason departed, Elizabeth made some surprise and sporadic appearances in Collinsport. Apparently, this was an attempt to gradually shed her reclusive image. She made two visits to the Collinsport Inn where Maggie served her a cup of coffee with a slice of apple pie.

"You... may," Elizabeth answered with some hesitation in her voice.

It was clear she was still pretty reclusive.

"We've been busy making some changes to the house," Elizabeth exclaimed to Maggie. "So much so I'm actually looking for a second maid to help out Mrs. Johnson."

"Oh." Maggie nodded.

"You two wait here," said Elizabeth. "I'll get Vicki and Burke."

The matriarch ascended up the staircase, leaving Maggie and Willie alone in the spacious gothic foyer, with its stone floors and paneled walls. Maggie turned her gaze to Willie, who clearly hadn't listened to her and Elizabeth's small talk.

He was staring at the portrait of Barnabas Collins. The portrait the Collinses hung in the foyer. Maggie honestly didn't know why the family insisted on hanging these unflattering ancestral portraits all over their home.

Maggie had completely forgotten about this one of Barnabas. She hadn't been up here for so long, she didn't count on seeing it.

Barnabas looked pretty severe in the portrait. He was stylishly garbed in his dark eighteenth century suit and cape, clutching his wolf-head cane, and displaying his black onyx ring, medallion, and other flashy jewelry. But the most striking feature was his eyes. They were black and soulless and perfectly suited for his oval face.

Maggie felt as if his eyes could penetrate right through her.

Willie had an intense reaction to the portrait. A cold sweat dripped down his brow, and his eyes were wide and petrified. He began to shake uncontrollably, causing Maggie to break out of the portrait's spell. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Willie, are you alright?"

Willie didn't respond to her. He continued to be mesmerized by the portrait, and was still shaking and turning paler.

"Willie!"

Maggie shook his shoulders and forced him away from the portrait's direction.

"Willie, listen to my voice."

The wild look in his eyes subsided and he realized Maggie was standing right in front of him with her hands grasping tightly to his shoulders.

"Willie, are you alright?" Maggie repeated.

"H-He was... lookin' at me," Willie whispered to her fearfully.

"I know, I could feel him staring straight at me, too," Maggie murmured.

She placed a hand on the bite marks on her neck, and felt some prickling beneath her skin. She assumed Willie's own bite marks were doing the same, given how jumpy he was.

"I think coming up here was a bad idea," Maggie said regrettably.

"Hi, Willie, hi, Maggie."

Little David Collins stepped through the back door leading into the kitchen and came up to the pair.

"Has father come home yet?"

"No," Maggie answered him.

Willie was still shaky and pale over his episode with the portrait.

"What's wrong, Willie?" David tilted his head. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Willie shook his head. David's guess was a little off but not by much.

"I'm fine, David," Willie shakily insisted to the boy.

"Vicki and Burke invited us over to see the West Wing," Maggie exclaimed.

"Oh, well, I'm looking for Sarah," said David.

"Sarah?" Maggie's eyes alight.

"Yeah, she's my ghost friend," David exclaimed. "She's around here somewhere. Your father saw her when you were missing."

"Yes, I know," Maggie murmured softly.

"I think that proves she is real," David said defensively. "But not everyone can see her."

Burke and Elizabeth emerged from the door on the second story landing.

"Willie, Maggie, come on up." Burke motioned for them to come up the staircase.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Maggie whispered to Willie.

"I'm okay," he assured her quietly.

They'd passed by Elizabeth as they went up the staircase, and followed Burke down a series of corridors and met up with Vicki who waited in front of a closed door that Maggie and Willie assumed opened up into the West Wing.

Vicki handed them some lit candlesticks and unlocked the door. Burke led the group carrying a flashlight.

Once inside, the area was dark and drafty, so drafty, Willie and Maggie were glad they hadn't taken off their coats downstairs. They'd followed Burke down a series of dark cluttered corridors as he gave them a tour using the flashlight to guide their way. Vicki stayed closely by his side.

The massive West Wing was covered in heavy dust and cobwebs. The engaged couple showed Willie and Maggie a number of rooms that they'd wish to transform; a master suite up a spiral staircase, a luxurious bathroom next to the suite, an elegant lounge in the second story, an office space for Burke, a study area for Vicki to tutor David, a private and intimate dining area, a place for extra storage for the antiques, and so on.

There was nothing about this place that seemed homey for Maggie. Like the rest of Collinwood, she found it dreary and creepy. The dust, cobwebs, and clutter of old furniture, antique knickknacks, and fading portraits of people forgotten in time, reminded Maggie of her old prison; the Old House.

But for Willie, the West Wing provided him with enough to visualize how he could fix it up. Obviously, this place had been neglected for quite some time, but Willie noted there wasn't much structural damage. He could easily patch up the holes in the walls and ceilings, and rectify any water damage caused by eons of stormy weather.

Burke was genuinely impressed by Willie's expertise.

"Well, working for Barnabas Collins must've made a man out of you," he commented. "There's no trace of that punk you were before."

"I guess." Willie shrugged.

"You came to Maggie's rescue," Vicki reminded him. "You two seem so close."

"Maggie's been good to me," Willie said simply.

"Yeah," said Vicki, "she helped you get a job and a place to stay after Mr. Collins left."

Wanting to veer the conversation away from herself and Willie, Maggie asked, "So, Vicki, what else do you want to do with this place?"

"Mrs. Stoddard is going to allow me to pick out any portrait and antique item I wish to incorporate with. I really want this to feel like you're stepping into another time... into the past."

"As long as we also have electricity, heat, and other amenities," Burke added humorously.

"Of course." Vicki smirked at him through the beam of the flashlight. "But there is a portrait I'm just mesmerized with. I'm going to hang it up in the lounge as soon as that room is finished."

"What is it?" Maggie asked curiously.

"Oh... Burke, hand me the flashlight," said Vicki anxiously, "I want to show them this portrait."

Burke handed the flashlight over to his fiancée, and Vicki led the group to a cramped storage area where a collection of old forgotten portraits were lined up. Vicki returned the flashlight back to Burke, and picked up one of the portraits. Burke pointed the beam on the old painting.

It was of a young woman probably from the eighteenth century. From the little light from the flashlight beam and the flickering flames from the candles, Willie and Maggie tried to make out the portrait. They could tell the portrait was in bold colors of orange and red. The colors reminded Maggie of the provocative and risqué portraits her father used to inexplicably create of Laura Collins. She was the former elusive wife of Roger Collins, and the mother of David. She also had a relationship with Burke.

Those portraits Sam created used to have some strange supernatural hold over him. He claimed several times he created them against his will. Maggie remembered how those portraits depicted Laura being surrounded by brilliant red flames. Maggie recalled when Laura came to town, (just a few months before Willie entered her life), she brought along with her the old legend of a mystical bird known as the Phoenix, with its incredible ability to perish in flames and rise majestically from the ashes.

One night the Evans cottage nearly burned down, and Sam claimed one of Laura's portraits was the caused of that. (As opposed to his drunken carelessness.) Then Laura herself wound up being in a fishing shack that was engulfed in flames, and she somehow disappeared. David nearly perished in the fire, but Vicki fortunately came to his rescue.

At the time, Maggie didn't want to believe in all the strange occurrences surrounding her, but she had to come to terms with the fact that strange things were happening in Collinsport, even before Barnabas Collins fatefully arrived.

Like Laura Collins, the woman in Vicki's portrait had blonde hair. Her face and vivid round blue eyes were hauntingly familiar, but she wasn't Laura Collins.

Willie and Maggie encountered this face, quite literally, on their last night at the Old House. A bizarre ghost with a disembodied head taunted Barnabas when Willie and Maggie wounded him in self-defense.

She was a witch who apparently cursed Barnabas of his vampirism and caused his and Josette's love to end in tragedy.

Was this the woman Willie and Maggie were seeing in this portrait?

Even though this portrait wasn't as off-putting as the Laura Collins ones, there was something unnerving about it. Something not quite right.

"Where did you find this?" Maggie asked Vicki.

"In storage along with the other portraits," Vicki answered with a light shrug.

"D-Do ya think t-that there's somethin' not right w-with it?" Willie stammered to her.

"I don't know what you mean, Willie." Vicki blinked. "It's just a portrait. I don't know why I'm so drawn to it, but I am."

"There's something intense about it," Burke observed.

"It might just be the bold colors and the shading," Vicki said reasonably.

"Perhaps." Burke shrugged.

Shortly afterward, the group split up. Willie wanted to better observe the West Wing. With Maggie by his side, and the little flames from their candlesticks offering dim light, the two wandered the empty, dusty, cobwebbed infested corridors with their footsteps echoing through the darkness. No natural light filtered through the filthy windows. It was a cold moonless night.

"Do you think that portrait is of Barnabas' witch Angelique?" Maggie whispered to Willie.

"I dunno," Willie answered her quietly. "I hope not. Then her portrait would have scary powers like Barnabas and Josette's."

This once again caused Maggie to be reminded of the Laura Collins portraits.

"I've had it up to here with all these mystical portraits," she bit off petulantly.

Wanting to changed the subject to something more decidedly normal, Maggie asked Willie, "So, are you going to take the job?"

"I know I can do it," Willie said confidently. "But there's somethin' 'bout this place. I know it's a lot bigger than the Old House, but it doesn't seem all that different."

"It has the exact same spooky vibe," Maggie concurred. "Another thing to consider is your reaction to that portrait downstairs. You scared me. I thought you were going to have a heart attack or something."

"It seems no matter how hard I tried, Barnabas..." Willie trailed off, his voice cracking.

Maggie didn't know what to say to him. She gently placed a comforting hand on his back shoulder.

They'd turned a corner to enter the next corridor where they spotted a flash of white light. Something was floating by a paneled wall. Something shadowy and transparent. They didn't need the small flames of the lit candles to know what they were seeing. This figure illuminated the dark corridor. It was a ghost. A ghost of a woman.

Willie and Maggie froze on their tracks. Maggie half expected to see a ghost when she arrived here, but she was hoping it would be of Sarah or Josette.

This ghost woman was a complete stranger. She was tall and slender with a pointed face and pale eyes. She had long curly blonde hair pulled up into a bun, and wore a long flowing white gown.

She looked at Willie and Maggie sharply like a hawk, as if in a warning, and disappeared behind the panel wall. She took her ghostly light with her, leaving Willie and Maggie alone in the shadows and the dim flames from their candlesticks.

Willie and Maggie were a little shaken. Even though they'd encountered ghosts all the time during their imprisonment at the Old House, it was still something they found incredibly unnerving. That, and they'd never seen this woman before.

"Oh, Maggie, who is she?" Willie whimpered. "And why doesn't she look like anyone from right now?"

"I don't know," Maggie said breathlessly.

She was shocked by that encounter. If she didn't know any better, Maggie swore this corridor seemed familiar somehow. But she'd never even been here.

_"London Bridge is falling down..."_

Willie and Maggie shrieked, and whirled around in alarm with Maggie's puzzling déjà vu now locked up in the back of her mind.

Another ghost came upon them, but it was a ghost they knew very well.

Little Sarah Collins, with her white pure glow shrouding around her, had snuck up to greet them.

Smiling relieved, Maggie bend over to her with her candle in hand, and said delightedly, "Hello, Sarah. You scared me and Willie."

_"What are you two doing here?"_ queried Sarah.

"Vicki and Burke invited us," Maggie exclaimed presently. "I haven't seen you in quite a while. I've heard you've been spending a lot of time with David. He's even looking for you downstairs. What are you two kids up to?"

"_I'm watching over David,"_ Sarah said vaguely.

Maggie nodded patiently. She had grown used to the ghost girl's evasive and often unhelpful answers.

"Hey, Sarah," said Willie. "Me and Maggie just saw a ghost of a woman with blonde hair. D'you know who I'm talkin' 'bout?"

_"There are many ghosts here,"_ said Sarah eerily.

"I know," Willie said a little frustratingly. "But this ghost..."

"Willie!? Maggie!?"

Burke's distant call caused Sarah to fade away abruptly, nearly blowing out the small flames from the candlesticks.

Willie and Maggie retraced their steps, and reunited with Burke and Vicki in one of the deserted and dusty corridors with cobwebs sticking from the rafters.

"So, how about it, Loomis?" Burke said eagerly. "Will you accept our offer?"

"I don't think I can do this," Willie answered with a shake of his head.

At this, Vicki was crestfallen.

"How come?"

The real reason was because Willie was creeped out by the ghosts and the sinister hypnotic portraits, but he instead said, "I don't think Mr. Collins and Mrs. Stoddard wants me workin' here. I know they don't like me, and Mrs. Stoddard didn't look happy to see me."

"Willie, you were pretty rotten when you first came here," Burke said levelly. "But you obviously changed for the better. Maggie seems to like you just fine, and while I admittedly find you quite weird and peculiar at times, you seem all right."

"Thanks, but no," Willie said firmly.

"This might be your chance to really make something of yourself," Burke said pointedly. "I myself worked my way up from the bottom."

"Thanks, but I'll find my own way," Willie strongly insisted.

Burke shrugged and gave up trying to persuade him. Vicki was clearly disappointed.

The engaged couple escorted Willie and Maggie out of the West Wing, where they snuffed out their candles and returned them back to Vicki. She placed them on a small table in a corridor outside of the West Wing.

"Sorry it didn't work out," Maggie told the couple sincerely as they headed in the direction of the foyer.

"We'll find someone to do the job," Burke said with great certainty.

"Yeah." Vicki heaved a deep sigh.

When they opened the door leading out to the foyer, some commotion was taking place downstairs.

Over the upstairs railing, the group spotted Roger Collins conferring with his sister Elizabeth and his son David in the foyer down below. Roger was in a checkered coat and brown fedora hat with two suitcases by his side. Evidently he just returned from his trip to Boston, and there was a young woman by his side. A lady with short brown hair.

She was smiling pleasantly at Elizabeth, who stared at the new-comer skeptically.

As the four descended down the staircase, Roger greeted them with a broad smile, and gestured for them to come over.

"Oh, Cassandra, I'd like for you to meet my son's governess Victoria Winters, and her fiancé Burke Devlin."

Burke and Vicki shook hands with Cassandra.

Upon closer inspection, Willie and Maggie noticed this woman had round blue eyes. They looked exactly the same as the woman in the portrait. The two didn't know what to make of that.

"Burke and Vicki," said Roger contentedly, "please meet my wife Cassandra."

Burke and Vicki looked at each other stunned.

"Yes, Roger was just telling David and I how he impulsively married her in Boston," Elizabeth exclaimed, failing to mask the flippant tone in her voice.

"Oh, come now, Liz." Roger scoffed. "We merely crossed paths and in this instantaneous moment, we knew we were right for each other." He affectionately took his wife's hand. "We just couldn't wait to start our lives together."

Cassandra smiled warmly, while an obvious fuming look etched across Elizabeth's face. Combined by the uncomfortable and uncertain looks from David, Willie and Maggie would like nothing more than to bolt out of this unpleasant and impromptu family reunion.

But Cassandra swing her ever blue gaze at the pair.

"Is this more of your family, Roger?" she asked.

"No, this is Willie Loomis and Maggie Evans," Roger informed her drollery. "I haven't the slightest idea why they're here."

"Vicki and I invited them over," Burke exclaimed.

"Well, it is very nice to meet you." Cassandra shook Willie and Maggie's hands.

Willie was very clumsy with this motion with nervous shaky hands, causing Cassandra to frown. For Maggie this woman did seem familiar.

"We were just leaving," Maggie told the family at large. "My father is waiting for us."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll meet again soon," said Cassandra.

"I'm sure we will," said Maggie. "Good night everyone."

"Good night," said David, who perhaps was wishing he could come along with them.

Willie and Maggie hurried their way to the front doors. Once they flung them wide open, they became paralyzed by shock.

Barnabas Collins regally stood at the doorway wearing his cloak-like overcoat, and carrying his wolf-head cane. The cane Maggie splintered in two when she fatally struggled with Barnabas. Willie and Maggie even used it to stake him in the heart, but his curse prevented the demise. But now his cane was somehow repaired.

What more, Dr. Julia Hoffman stood by Barnabas' side dressed in a green winter coat.

Willie and Maggie were just as shocked to see her. She was a psychologist from Windcliff that knew Dr. Woodard, who was a close friend of Sam's.

"Well, hello, Willie," Barnabas said formally to his former servant. "And Miss Evans," he added smoothly. "What an unexpected surprise to see you both again, here of all places."

He gave them a pleasant smile, but Willie and Maggie found nothing pleasant about it.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Unwanted Reunions**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Dark Shadows is** **a Dan Curtis Production and not mine**

* * *

CHAPTER 3: UNWANTED REUNIONS

"B-B-Barnabas..." Willie felt he was suffering from a massive heart attack as he stood face-to-face with his former master with Dr. Julia Hoffman standing mysteriously by his side. With the vampire's presence, Maggie felt her world shattering. It was like fate had insultingly slapped her across the face.

"Is someone at the door?" called out the curious but jovial voice of Roger.

He stepped up behind Willie and Maggie and found his "cousin" from England standing at the front entrance.

"Oh, Barnabas," he said quite surprised. "I see you have returned."

"Why, yes, Roger, I have," said Barnabas.

Just then, Elizabeth and Vicki stepped up to the crowded front entrance and saw for themselves of Barnabas' return.

"Barnabas," Vicki breathed, her eyes growing round.

"Hello, Victoria," Barnabas said with a courteous grin. "How lovely to see you again."

At that, Julia snuck her patient a narrow sideways glance, but Barnabas failed to notice.

"And it is also lovely to see you, Elizabeth," Barnabas added chivalrously.

"It's lovely to see you, too, Barnabas," Elizabeth replied flattered. "How was your return to England?"

"Oh, yes, that is something I'd like to talk to all of you about," Barnabas exclaimed. "In fact, I strongly insist that Willie and Miss Evans remain to hear what I have to say. After all, Willie was my servant for a time, and my departure was abrupt, even for him. I feel I owe him an explanation."

Willie gave him a dark cocky look.

"We were all surprised when you left without saying goodbye," Vicki murmured.

"I assure you, my dear, I have an explanation for that," Barnabas insisted.

"Well, I'm sold on hearin' it." Willie crossed his arms over his chest, casting his former master a knowing grin.

The image of Barnabas lying in a pool of his own blood, followed by the invisible ghost of Josette carrying him off to his coffin boldly absorbed inside Willie's mind.

"Well, come on in, Barnabas," Roger invited, turning away from the entrance. "We are all anxious to hear your tale."

Willie and Maggie allowed Barnabas and Julia to enter the Great House. Passing by the small group at the entrance of the foyer, Barnabas' eyes widened when he gazed upon the brunette woman Roger came to stand next to. Her round blue eyes gleamed in sly mischief when she got a better view of the vampire. She flashed him a bright friendly smile.

"Oh, Barnabas," said Roger formally, "please meet my wife, Cassandra."

Barnabas cocked an eyebrow.

"You married, Roger?"

"Yes, we met in Boston," Roger exclaimed. "Cassandra, I'd like for you to meet our cousin Barnabas Collins. He hails from England."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Barnabas." Cassandra smiled pleasantly at him, but Barnabas was not fooled by her innocence. He knew this was no mortal woman.

He recalled how she used to call him Mr. Barnabas in the same exact manner she just had... in Martinique... so long ago.

Back when they were completely different people.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Cassandra."

Barnabas placed a light kiss on the back of her hand, sending an electrical jolt up her arm. Barnabas knew that sensation all too well. This could only be Angelique. She had come back to ensure her curse was still causing him eternal anguish.

"So, Barnabas, who's your companion?" Burke spoke up, standing next to Vicki in the center of the foyer.

Barnabas didn't realize he was even there until now, him along with young David. Barnabas found he was slightly annoyed by Burke's presence. Before Barnabas could reply to Burke's query, his companion spoke up.

"I'm Dr. Julia Hoffman. I've been taking care of Barnabas."

Near the open front doors, Willie and Maggie quickly looked at each other.

"Have you been ill, Barnabas?" Elizabeth looked at him in deep concerned.

"That's actually what I want to talk to you all about," Barnabas supplied.

"Well, let's all go to the drawing room," Roger suggested eagerly. "You can tell us all about it in there."

Willie and Maggie were about to shut the front doors when some footsteps came their way through the frosty air, accompanied by some familiar voices.

"I enjoyed window shopping with you at Bangor," said a young woman's voice that was unmistakably Carolyn's.

"Yeah, I had fun myself," said a young man who was clearly Joe.

The two stepped up to the open front entrance from the freezing outdoors.

"Well, what is this? A free museum pass?" Carolyn quipped.

She stared at the unexpected crowd in the foyer.

"Cousin Barnabas," she murmured softly, her eyes widened when she spotted him.

"Hello, Carolyn," Barnabas replied.

Joe, however, locked his gaze on Willie and Maggie, who remained standing by the open front doors. Willie icily turned away from Joe, and made his way through the crowded foyer. He was the first to enter the drawing room, while everyone else was preoccupied. Maggie slowly followed after him. That left Joe feeling a little dejected. Maggie barely registered his presence.

Carolyn hardly noticed any of his angst.

"When did you get back?" Carolyn asked Barnabas from the chilly open entrance.

"Just now," Barnabas answered her. "Dr. Hoffman here has been taking care of me." He gestured toward Julia.

"How long are you staying?" Carolyn inquired.

"Hopefully indefinitely," said Barnabas.

"Kitten, you just walked in on some excitement bustling around here," Roger exclaimed to his niece. "Barnabas has just returned, and I brought home a bride." He wrapped his arm around Cassandra.

"What?" A puzzled frown creased Carolyn's features.

Roger came up to the open front entrance with his new bride in tow.

"I'd like you to meet my wife, Cassandra. We met in Boston. Cassandra, this is my niece, Carolyn, and her boyfriend, Joe Haskell."

"No, no, just friends." Joe laughed awkwardly. "We are taking things slow."

"It's nice to meet you." Cassandra shook Carolyn's hand. "Roger has told me so much about you."

"Hmm... it's nice to meet you, too." Carolyn chuckled nervously as her new aunt shook Joe's hand.

"Listen, Carolyn, I need to head out," Joe told her, who obviously didn't want to be here.

"All right, I'll call you tomorrow," said Carolyn.

"Good night," said Joe.

"Good night."

"It's really nice meeting you, Joe." Cassandra smiled warmly at him.

"It's nice meeting you, too, Mrs. Collins," Joe said in a small voice.

Once he awkwardly left, Carolyn entered the manor, and Roger firmly shut the front double doors.

As the group ushered into the drawing room to joined Willie and Maggie, Cassandra felt a pair of sharp burning eyes piercing right through her. This presence was invisible, but Cassandra knew who it was. This person greatly despised her. It could only be Josette.

Cassandra nonchalantly ignored this and breezily entered the drawing room.

David stood by the room's large double doors as he quietly observed the adults filing into the room. Roger gazed down on his son, and said in a reserved tone, "David, why don't you get some studying done before supper."

"But I want to know what happened to cousin Barnabas," David protested.

"You will know in due time."

Roger dismissed him, and stepped into the room. He shut the double doors behind him, leaving David alone fuming in the foyer.

David grumbled over being shut out by a bunch of stuffy adults. But his bitter disappointment quickly dissipated. The sound of a musical flute bounced off the old paneled walls, followed by a cheery voice, _"Hello, David."_

The boy glanced up. Sarah was on the second story landing, peering down through the bars of the railing.

"Sarah!" David dashed his way up the staircase, and met up with the ghost girl by the stained-glass window on the landing. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you."

"_I know,"_ said Sarah. _"Something is stirring in this house, David."_

"Stirring?" David frowned. "What do you mean?"

"_I want you to be careful,"_ Sarah warned him.

"Careful of what?" David asked her.

"_I see Barnabas has come back,"_ Sarah said evasively, darting her gaze to the shut doors of the drawing room.

"Yeah." David was a little perturbed by her attempt to changed the subject, but he too was curious about Barnabas. "I thought he was gone for good."

"_I did, too,"_ Sarah admitted, shifting her gaze back to him.

"He said he was sick," David told her.

"_I know,"_ Sarah responded cryptically.

"You knew?" David gaped at her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"_I wasn't suppose to,"_ said Sarah simply.

David scoffed at her obvious vagueness, and asked, "Is he feeling better?"

"_I really don't know, David,"_ Sarah answered in an honest tone. _"But_ _I really do hope so."_

* * *

In the drawing room, Maggie felt she was in a long dark tunnel. Listening to Barnabas' story made her feel distant in the room like a ghost, and her stomach tightened in revulsion.

She and Willie stood in front of the warm fireplace, as Barnabas sat comfortably on the couch with Julia sitting beside him. Elizabeth sat at the end of the couch, while Roger sat cross-legged on one of the chairs with Cassandra standing tall right by him.

Vicki and Carolyn leaned over from the back of the couch, while Burke had his back turned on the closed double doors.

Maggie and Willie listened dubiously as their former tormentor told a story that they knew too painfully well was a pack of lies.

Barnabas claimed he'd gotten ill several months prior, and decided to not tell anyone. His supposed trip to England was instead turned into Barnabas checking himself into a facility, where he got treated by Dr. Julia Hoffman, who was still taking close care of him, and she herself explained how she was treating him. Her explanation struck Willie and Maggie to also be lies given that these supposed treatments sounded so completely normal.

"Now that I'm on the mend, I would like to get my life back in working order," Barnabas exclaimed as he kept his trusty cane by his side.

"Well, that is very terrible what you went through," Cassandra said sympathetically.

Barnabas cast her an unreadable look.

"Yes, it is," he said.

All of this made Maggie feel even sicker. Dr. Julia Hoffman was Maggie and Willie's psychologist when they were freed from the Old House. Julia was one of the few people who knew what Barnabas truly was, and initially got that information when she was treating Willie and Maggie.

Maggie found it appalling Julia had actually used her and Willie to seek out Barnabas, particularly since they tried so hard to convince her he was gone. What could she possibly want from him?

Furthermore, Maggie couldn't believe Josette would allow Barnabas to be released from his coffin. She felt incredibly betrayed.

"Mrs. Stoddard," Maggie found herself asking, "can I borrow your phone? I need to call pop to let him know Willie and I are coming home."

"Go right ahead," Elizabeth replied welcomely.

"Thank you, I'll take it out in the foyer."

Maggie slink her way out of the room, and Burke courteously opened one of the doors for her and shut it once she exit.

"So, Barnabas, are you really here for good?" Burke asked him.

"I sincerely hope so," Barnabas said from the couch.

"I can't believe you were ever sick," Carolyn said from behind him.

"I'm glad you're doing well," Vicki said kindly beside Carolyn.

Barnabas smiled up at her.

"Thank you, Vicki. I truly appreciate it."

"Well, the family is certainly becoming more eclectic," said Roger from his chair. "And what a perfect time for it. I say we bring on some holly good cheer. Let's throw a Christmas party."

"Oh, darling, that's a marvelous idea!" Cassandra beamed down on her husband.

"It quite is," Barnabas agreed, though he continued to be wary of Cassandra.

That was something that didn't went unnoticed by Julia. But that was nothing compared how wary Willie was of his former master.

* * *

In the foyer, Maggie frantically dialed the black rotary phone on the large table. Her heart was racing and her stomach was churning, making her feel like she was suffering from cramps. She placed the phone to her ear.

_"Hello."_

"Pop, it's me," Maggie breathed into the receiver.

_"Darling, when will you and Willie be getting home?"_

"Pop, Barnabas Collins is here," Maggie whispered urgently.

_"What?"_

"Barnabas is here in Collinwood," Maggie said quietly.

_"He's up there with you right now!"_ Sam said angrily from the other end of the line.

"With Dr. Hoffman," Maggie exclaimed.

_"You and Willie's psychologist?!"_ Sam said flabbergasted.

"Yes, she did something to him, but I don't know what it is," said Maggie.

* * *

"So, Willie, I see you comfortably laid down your roots in Collinsport in my absence," Barnabas said casually from the couch.

"I gotta job," Willie muttered from his spot in front of the fireplace.

"He works as a maintenance man at the Collinsport Inn," Vicki informed Barnabas.

"You work with Miss Evans," Barnabas mused interestingly.

"Since he rescued her from her abductors, they've become practically inseparable," said Vicki.

"Oh, really?" Barnabas nodded thoughtfully.

Willie didn't like how he was acting.

"I-I better take Maggie home."

Willie rushed over to the large double doors where Burke blocked him. Willie was getting utterly sick of him doing that.

"Hey, Willie, thanks for stopping by, even though we didn't come to an agreement," said Burke.

"Yeah," Willie responded.

He went around Burke and swiftly made his way out of the drawing room and shut the doors behind him without saying goodbye.

He found Maggie talking on the phone at the large table in the center of the foyer.

"Pop, I got to go," Maggie said into the receiver. "We'll get back as soon as we can."

She placed the phone back in its cradle, and Willie quietly stepped up to her.

"Oh, Willie, what's going on?" Maggie whispered to him. "Why is Barnabas out of his coffin, and why is Dr. Hoffman with him?"

Willie grabbed her hand, and said, "Let's find out."

They went through the front doors and departed from Collinwood.

* * *

"Are we all certain Willie Loomis has changed?" Elizabeth questioned the group in the drawing room from her spot on the couch. "If you ask me, he's just as rude as ever."

"It's nice having you back, Barnabas," Roger changed the subject, as he lightly swirled his brandy in his glass from his chair.

"I'm very pleased to be back, Roger," said Barnabas graciously.

"Will you be able to participate in the family Christmas festivities?" Roger asked him.

"I'll be delighted to," Barnabas replied honorably.

"Should we be expecting Dr. Hoffman at our Christmas bash?" Roger inquired.

Julia looked flattered. "Well, if I'm invited, I'll be delighted to come," she said.

"Do we really need to throw this party, Roger?" Elizabeth said uncomfortably.

"I honestly think it would be good for all of us," Roger insisted. "After the whirlwind year we've had."

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Vicki beamed approvingly.

"Me too," agreed Carolyn.

"Well, Dr. Hoffman and I better be getting back." Barnabas got up from his seat on the couch, and Julia followed his lead. "It is getting late."

"Where are you staying?" Elizabeth asked Barnabas.

"I'm hoping to continue to reside at the Old House," said Barnabas. "If that is all right?"

"Of course it is." Elizabeth stood up from the couch. "None of us have been there since you left. Not even David, I think."

Julia excruciatingly knew that last statement wasn't true. She had to carefully dodged from David whenever the boy unwantedly showed up at the Old House to seek out Josette. He became a nuisance, and unknowingly interfered in Julia's work.

After a while, Josette persuaded the boy to stopped coming to the Old House. She decided to start visiting him at Collinwood. That would surely help Julia to peacefully conduct her bizarre experiment.

Barnabas quickly hugged Elizabeth and shook Roger's hand to congratulate him on his marriage. He shifted his dark gaze on Cassandra. He once again placed a light kiss on the back of her hand. Like before, his cold lips sent a jolt up her arm.

"It's lovely to meet you, Ms. Cassandra," Barnabas said to her.

"It's lovely to meet you, too, Mr. Barnabas," Cassandra responded a little flustered. "It'll be inevitable for us to meet again."

"Yes," Barnabas agreed. "Good night, everyone."

With that, the family watched their "cousin" and his lady doctor exit the Great House.

From the opened entrance of the drawing room, Vicki warmly wrapped her arms around Burke and rested her head on his chest.

"It's wonderful Barnabas came back," she said joyously, listening to her fiance's heart beat. "And just in time for Christmas."

"He hasn't changed a bit," Carolyn said bemused.

"It's rather interesting being a part of a family meeting," said Burke. "It wasn't all that long ago I wanted to destroy you all."

"Oh, real tactful, Burke!" Roger scowled at him.

Wanting to avoid treading through the difficult fact of Roger sending Burke to prison for a crime he hadn't committed, Vicki reminded steadily, "We all put that behind us."

Burke tenderly thread his fingers through her soft brown hair, and said gently, "Yes, we did."

Cassandra wrapped her arms around Roger, and said brightly, "Oh, this will be a wonderful Christmas."

"Yes, it will," Roger promised his bride.

Elizabeth silently observed them with blatant disapproval.

* * *

"I did not anticipate this!" Barnabas snarled, as he and Julia trudged their way through the snow, which continued to fall from the night sky covering the tall thin dark forest trees. Barnabas used his cane to vividly shove the snow off the path leaving a trail behind.

"Are you referring to Willie and Maggie?" Julia questioned her patient, trailing closely beside him in the frosty night.

Barnabas was indeed surprised to see those two at the family home. He hadn't wanted that to be true from the moment he spotted the parked vehicle that looked conspicuously like Willie's truck.

"I may have to settle them," Barnabas declared darkly.

"Don't be ridiculous," said Julia. "We have made tremendous progress with your treatments. We've come a long way. There's no need for you to revert now."

"I don't need to revert to settle them, doctor," Barnabas countered.

"There's no need for killing, Barnabas," Julia argued. "We both know Willie and Maggie are going to find out about the treatments, and we need to reasonably explain to them..."

"They're going to expose me, doctor," Barnabas interjected.

"Not when we explain the treatments to them, and what we're trying to do," said Julia calmly. "Besides, we both know Josette won't permit you to harm them."

Barnabas lowered his gaze as he and Julia continued trailing through the snow in the dark winter woods. Barnabas had to come to terms with the fact that Josette did try to protect Willie and Maggie from him when he held them captive. He lost the Old House to Josette and was technically at her mercy. He had no choice but to accept the reality that he had no control over his life.

"Yes," he conceded reluctantly, tightly shutting his eyes and gripping his cane. "Be that as it may, Willie and Maggie are not the only threat to me. Angelique has returned."

"Angelique?" Julia knitted her brow. "The witch that cursed you with your vampirism?"

"And destroyed mine and Josette's happiness," Barnabas said resentfully. "Now she's masquerading as a new Collins."

"Roger Collins' new wife," Julia concluded.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Barnabas said softly, shoving the snow with his cane more roughly.

"Is she immortal like you are?" Julia inquired.

"She lives on my misery," said Barnabas. "She's here to ensure I remain suffering from her curse for not returning her love. I'm afraid she'll disrupt our process, doctor."

Julia's gaze darkened.

"We have come so far, Barnabas," she said seriously. "I will not let that happen."

"Seeing her was just like meeting her all over again for the first time," said Barnabas thoughtfully.

Julia glanced at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"Just like Martinique so long ago..." Barnabas' whispered voice sounded so distant, further perplexing Julia.

Whatever Barnabas was reminiscing over, his gaze returned to the present. As the two neared the Old House, Willie's truck was unmistakably parked close by. As the two trudged onwards, they found the front double doors wide open. Barnabas and Julia rushed in, and found Willie and Maggie waiting sternly in the parlor.

They were surrounded by the glow from the fireplace and the candle light with the leaping shadows accompanying them. Josette's portrait hung dominantly above the mantel.

"We gotta talk, Barnabas," Willie said with his arms back to being crossed over his chest.

"Yes, we must," Barnabas agreed.

A cold tingling chill crept down everyone's spines. The transparent ghost of Ben Stokes nervously materialized out of thin air into the room.

"_I beggin' ya pardon, Mr. Barnabas,"_ he said submissively, fiddling with his chubby fingers. "_I thought it would be fine to let 'em in. Ms. Josette is mighty fond of 'em."_

"Yes, she is," said Barnabas. "You are dismissed, Ben."

Even though Barnabas was no longer Ben's master, the old servant still harbored some degree of loyalty to him. In spite of everything, Barnabas still valued Ben Stokes as an old dear friend. Ben faded away, taking his chill with him. Some of the lit candles blew out from his departure.

As she glanced around the parlor, Maggie couldn't believe she was back at the Old House and facing Barnabas. His blood where she and Willie staked him still stained the floor. But she inwardly vowed to not allow her fears to get the better of her.

She felt a fleet of invisible presences coursing through the old shabby manor, with the eyes from Josette's portrait peering down throughout the room. Maggie remembered having this feeling when she'd left here with Sam and Willie.

"So, Dr. Hoffman," Willie drawled. "I see you and Barnabas became pals. Ya look to be more than just a head doctor."

"We've established a relationship over the past several months," Julia admitted with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"What kind of relationship?" Maggie demanded shortly.

Julia was silent. She slowly shut the front double doors in the foyer to ward off the harsh winter chill, and she and Barnabas properly entered the parlor. Barnabas sat on his armchair with his cane in hand. Willie closely eyed the object.

"I see ya got that fix."

"Yes, it was awfully thoughtful of Ben to repair it for me," said Barnabas.

"What kind of relationship do you have with Barnabas, Dr. Hoffman!?" Maggie demanded impatiently.

"A doctor/patient relationship," answered Julia coolly. "I have been treating him."

"You've been treatin' Barnabas?" Willie raised an astonished brow. "For what?"

"Why, his vampirism, of course," exclaimed Julia logically.

"You're trying to cure Barnabas from his curse?" said Maggie.

"Yes, with science," Julia said proudly. "And Josette supports me."

"Obviously." Maggie didn't know what to think.

"Why are ya doin' this, doctor?" Willie queried.

"All my life I believed life and death is an ongoing continuum," said Julia. "They both can merge harmoniously, but in all my years of research, men like Barnabas only existed in stories. When I met you two and heard what you both went through, I knew I needed to investigate."

"And lo and behold you found your vampire subject to perform your experiment!" Maggie shot at her.

"I'm only trying to help," Julia said rationally.

"Am I suppose to conveniently forget what he did to me, doctor!" Maggie spat breathlessly. "How he violated me! Just because I look like Josette!"

"Maggie, I can't take back what I did," Barnabas said from his chair. "I am trying to set things right."

"Are you, Barnabas?" Maggie said fiercely in a dark glare. "Are you really?"

"All I can say is I apologize completely," Barnabas said to her.

Maggie laughed bitterly, sounding a little mad. Willie placed his calming hands on her shoulders.

"Maggie, please calm down," he told her pleadingly.

"He ruined my life!" Maggie spat at him bitterly. "And yours!"

"But Dr. Hoffman could really help him," said Willie. "This could get rid of the curse."

"Willie..."

"Josette wouldn't have let him outta his coffin if she felt this wasn't right," Willie cut her off.

Maggie reluctantly took in his words silently.

"Yes, but the quest for my cure has been put under great jeopardy tonight," Barnabas said soberly.

Willie and Maggie returned their gaze back to him on his chair.

"Angelique has returned," Barnabas said to them.

"That Cassandra woman," Maggie surmised with a curt nod.

"Nicely deduced, Miss Evans," Barnabas complemented.

"She looks a lot like Angelique," Willie commented thoughtfully.

"You two met Angelique?" Julia said surprised.

"Sort of." Willie shrugged.

"None of you mentioned this in our sessions," said Julia.

"Dr. Hoffman has tried to add in some new blood cells to my system to replenish my thirst for blood," Barnabas ventured suddenly.

"Yes, we made some tremendous process," continued Julia. "He can no longer transform into a bat and diminished some of his thirst for blood."

"But I'm not impervious to sunlight," Barnabas said grimly. "And these treatments are weakening me and stripping every ounce of my strength. I'm afraid I'm too vulnerable to deal with Angelique. She surely came back to better ensure I remain suffering from her curse."

Willie wondered if Barnabas still had his mind control power. He strongly felt uncomfortably connected to his former master.

"Barnabas," he said tentatively, "me and Maggie think Angelique has a portrait of herself at Collinwood."

"What?" Barnabas' eyes darkened.

"Vicki showed it to us when we were over there," Maggie exclaimed. "It's up at the West Wing. It's probably one of those... mystical portraits like yours and Josette's." Maggie gestured up to Josette's portrait. "Vicki is pretty drawn to it," she added.

"Angelique is intending to take control of Collinwood," Barnabas stated, utterly distressed.

"What?" Maggie said worryingly. "Does this mean Vicki and the Collinses are in danger?"

"That woman destroyed my entire family," Barnabas said seethingly. "She's bound to do it again."

Maggie found herself growing intensely worried for her friend.

"I'll watch over Collinwood." Willie's words shocked everyone.

"You'll do that?" Barnabas said quite taken aback. "How?"

"Devlin and Vicki wants me to fix up the West Wing," Willie explained to him. "I'll use that as my cover."

"You'd do that for me Willie?" Barnabas raised an intrigued eyebrow.

"Yes." Willie nodded obediently.

Maggie was crushed by his answer. "But Willie... you got a job at the Inn."

"I just can't let Barnabas' curse go on, Maggie," Willie told her gently. "I hafta do this."

"You do?" Maggie looked at him sadly.

Abruptly, the front doors of the Old House burst wide open. Stomping footsteps strongly trespassed their way in.

"Sam, please, let's be rational about this."

Sam barged into the parlor along with the disgruntled Dr. Woodard. Sam locked his gaze on Barnabas in a savage glare.

"You!" he hissed. "I won't let you get away with what you did to my daughter!"

Sam pulled out a wooden stake from the pocket of his rain coat. He charged after Barnabas, but Dr. Woodard tried to restrain him.

"Sam, no! He could kill you!"

Sam angrily shoved the doctor aside and advanced on Barnabas. Several distress shouts resounded throughout the room as Sam lunged after the vampire with his stake in hand.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Begrudging Acceptance**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Dark Shadows is** **a Dan Curtis Production and not mine **

* * *

CHAPTER 4: BEGRUDGING ACCEPTANCE

"Pop, no!"

Maggie threw herself on Sam's back shoulders as the older man tried to lunge after the vampire with the stake firmly grasped. Barnabas used his cane to protectively shield himself from his armchair, causing Maggie to fear the vampire might use it as a weapon to attack her father.

Willie joined Maggie to restrain Sam, who was still trying to lunge after Barnabas.

"Mr. Evans, please, ya gotta calm down," Willie grunted, as he and Maggie struggled to hold the angry father at bay.

At those words, Sam abruptly spun around and glared at Willie deadly with the stake still firmly within his tight grip.

"This... this monster got released from his confinement!" Sam shot at Willie furiously, his furry face turning bright red. "He took my daughter from me, and tried to destroy her, and you want me to calm down!"

"Pop, you can't kill Barnabas," Maggie said frantically.

"Oh, Maggie, not you, too!" Sam snapped. "Why am I not allowed to destroy him for what he did to you!"

"Because Willie and I tried!" Maggie cried out hysterically. "The curse won't let us!"

Maggie inhaled shakily and quickly exhaled. "Remember?" she murmured with heavy sad eyes.

Sam slowly dropped his gaze and darted them back to Barnabas on his armchair.

At the father's silence, Julia decided to gently intervene.

"I'm working on a cure to help him," she exclaimed to Sam. "I'm helping to break him out of his monstrosity and to become a man again. To live an ordinary human life."

"Julia, what have you gotten yourself into?" Dr. Woodard stared at his friend and colleague in total dismay.

"I second that, doctor," Sam agreed spitefully. "You were supposed to help my daughter, not the monster that held her against her will!"

"Our efforts just might prove to be in vain, Mr. Evans," Barnabas stated gruffly from his armchair. "The witch has returned to ensure I remain under her curse."

Sam frowned at him befuddled.

"Remember that ghost head of a woman who was taunting Barnabas when you found me?" Maggie prodded her father. "She's back living in Collinwood as Roger's new wife."

"What... wait... what does that mean?" Sam stammered, taken aback. "Roger married a ghost head?"

"No, she's human now," Maggie explained to him. "Or she seems human but really isn't."

"Is the Collins family in danger?" Dr. Woodard calmly interjected.

"Yes, she destroyed my entire family long ago," said Barnabas.

"I'm gonna work at Collinwood to keep an eye on that witch," Willie informed Dr. Woodard.

"You, Willie?" Sam looked at him in deep speculation.

"Yeah, d'you want the curse to go on?"

"What I don't understand is why Barnabas is not being held accountable for what he has done to Maggie," Sam spat fiercely.

"He's not, pop," Maggie said with a strong resolve, narrowing her dark intense gaze on her former captor in his armchair. "Once you are cured, I want you to leave Collinsport," she demanded of him.

Barnabas glared at her rather darkly. "What?"

"You heard what I said," Maggie said evenly.

"This is my home, Maggie," Barnabas sneered. "I just can't leave here."

"This is my home, too, Barnabas," Maggie countered. "And it was also the home of all those girls you killed."

"I don't think you know what you're trifling with, Maggie," Barnabas said severely.

"I think I do, Barnabas," said Maggie, crossing her arms over her chest. "I spent months living in this house with you. I'm not going to sit idly by as you continue to hurt people."

"Maggie, I didn't choose to live this way," Barnabas argued.

"No, you didn't," Maggie agreed, shaking her head. "You were a man once, a man who was loved. I felt that with the ghosts of the Collins ancestors, and I felt it with Josette. I understand that. But that doesn't excuse what you did to me, or my friend's life being in danger with Angelique living at Collinwood. I want you to get rid of her, settle your demons, and go."

"Maggie, this is a dangerous game you're playing at," Barnabas hissed. "I'm already compromise enough as it is."

"I won't tell your secret, Barnabas," Maggie reluctantly assured him. "I'm grateful that Josette helped me. I feel I owe her something, and I know she wants your curse to be kept a secret. Because of that, I won't tell anyone what you really are."

Barnabas stared at her with great uncertainty as Maggie slid her gaze on Dr. Woodard.

"I think we should all go home," she said.

"I'll drive Sam to the cottage," said Dr. Woodard. "I was the one who drove him up here."

He shifted his serious gaze toward Julia. "You and I need to have a talk," he told her pointedly.

Julia nodded reassuringly.

"Come on, pop." Maggie put a calming hand on Sam's back shoulder, who was still shocked and upset over what happened. He was still clutching tightly to the wooden stake. "Come on, Willie," Maggie called.

"I'll catch up with ya later, Maggie," Willie told her. "I got some things I need to take care of."

Maggie gave him the exact same crestfallen look she'd given him before Sam barged in.

"You will see me later," Willie promised her.

"Okay, Willie," Maggie murmured lowly.

Willie watched her leave the Old House with Sam and Dr. Woodard.

"Are you really going to help us, Willie?" Julia asked the former servant hopefully once the trio left.

"I want the curse to stop," muttered Willie. "Who's helpin' ya treatin' Barnabas?"

"The ghost of the servant Ben Stokes has offered his assistance," exclaimed Julia. "Which was pretty interesting how he fetched my equipment."

"Willie, I want you to investigate Angelique's portrait," Barnabas ordered him. "We need to definitively know if she has a portrait of herself at Collinwood."

"Okay, Barnabas."

"And Willie," Barnabas added firmly, "Maggie Evans better not compromise me."

"She won't tell your secret, Barnabas," said Willie. "She basically promised Josette."

"But what about Dr. Woodard and Sam Evans?" Barnabas demanded shortly.

"Me and Maggie will keep Mr. Evans quiet," Willie assured him.

"And I'll handle Dave," Julia said helpfully. "He won't give us any trouble."

"You better keep your dear friend Maggie under control, Willie," Barnabas warned. "I would hate to have to settle her after all we went through together."

"Josette ain't gonna let ya hurt her, Barnabas," Willie said knowingly. "And I ain't gonna let ya, either."

"Willie..." Barnabas gave him one of his patented dark looks.

"I'm gonna help ya, Barnabas," Willie assured him. "But it's Josette's portrait hangin' up there, not yours. She's callin' the shots now. That's why ya even free."

With that, Willie slowly departed from the Old House.

Once the front double doors shut behind him, Barnabas stared up at the portrait of his true love. Willie's words were like ice to him, but he was right. Josette was the rightful mistress of the Old House. She was the one in control. It was because of her Julia was permitted to perform her experiments to make him human again.

But Willie was wrong about one crucial thing.

Barnabas may be unbound from his confinement, but he was not free. Far from it.

* * *

At the Great House of Collinwood, Angelique became acquainted with the ancestral home. She endured an incredibly awkward dinner with the current members of the Collins family, as her new husband Roger shamelessly gushed over her.

Angelique received uncertain looks from certain members of the family, and several intense unapproving ones from the house mistress Elizabeth.

The dark blank stares Angelique received from David was rather troublesome. The witch couldn't help but wonder if the boy would pose as some sort of serious problem for her.

All the while, Roger breathlessly rhapsodized over the upcoming Christmas party, a subject Angelique had grown increasingly tired of.

Draped in her long silk blue robe with a matching long nightgown underneath, Angelique studied her new reflection in the mirror above the dresser in Roger's bedroom. She had grown comfortably accustomed with her new name Cassandra. She had changed her name many times through the centuries when necessary, and had grown used to it. But it was her new hair she was unused to.

All her life, Angelique had long flowing blonde hair. It was an important element of who she was and part of her very identity. It was a major thing she'd clung onto in all these centuries. (That and her unwavering love and hatred for Barnabas.)

This shorter, darker hair was completely alien to her. She didn't feel like herself. Of course, she wasn't supposed to.

Angelique gazed down on her hand and felt the cold kiss Barnabas placed on it hours earlier. She remembered how the kiss sent an electrical jolt up her arm. It was just how it was in Martinique when they used to create sparks there.

The memory caused Angelique's heart to slightly melt.

As she turned away from the dresser, the witch suddenly encountered the livid ghost of Josette. Her potent jasmine scent and phantom melody of her old music box assaulted the bedroom. Angelique's icy blue eyes seethed in hatred, and her heart pounded wildly.

"_I banished you, Angelique!"_ Josette shot at her heatedly.

Angelique chuckled wickedly, and countered, "Come now, Josette, you only banish me from the Old House. You didn't banish me from the entire grounds."

"_I will not allow you to harm_ _a member of this family!"_ Josette declared. _"Most of all,_ _I will not let you carry on Barnabas' curse!"_

"I believe it is my turn to banish you now, dear Josette." Angelique grinned crookedly. "I have grown tired of your annoyance. You are now banished from this Great House! You shall no longer haunt down these corridors and echo your convoluted legacy through these passes! Suffer through your unrest outside these ancient walls! Collinwood now belongs to me!"

_"This is not over, Angelique."_ Josette forcefully faded away, taking her music and scent with her.

"It's never over!" Angelique spat once the ghost vanished.

Once the bedroom fell silent, the door suddenly creaked open. Roger stepped in, wearing his blue silk pajamas with matching robe and slippers.

"Were you speaking to someone?" he asked, as he shut the door behind him.

Angelique swiftly collected Roger's gold lighter which sat on top of the dresser, and hurried over to her new husband. She flashed the lighter's flame directly in front of Rogers vision.

It didn't take him long to fall into the trance. It was just as simple as before. He hadn't a will of his own since he'd met her.

"You will make me the official mistress of Collinwood, won't you, my darling?" The dark flame gleamed inside Angelique's glassy eyes.

"Yes," Roger answered in a monotonous voice, as he stared deeper into the hypnotic flame.

"You will take Collinwood away from your sister," Angelique demanded.

"Yes," Roger repeated just as lifelessly as before.

"Good." Angelique flicked off the flame and quickly turned away from him.

* * *

At the Evans cottage, Maggie sat quietly on her chair in her bedroom reading a book in the lamp light. After consoling her distraught father, Maggie changed out of her waitressing uniform and put on a long flannel nightgown and bundled up in a warm house robe. Her auburn hair draped freely around her shoulders.

When the clock on the nightstand chimed in ten o'clock, Maggie frustratingly snapped her book closed and shot up from her chair.

Placing her book on her dresser, Maggie peered through her French doors, but couldn't see anything through the frost and fog clouding the glass in the winter night.

Maggie thought she heard Willie's truck pulling up, but she wasn't certain if she had just imagined it.

But then a soft rapping came behind her bedroom door.

"Maggie?" Willie's voice called behind the door.

Maggie stepped up to the door and allowed Willie in. She shut the door behind them.

"You were up there for a long time," Maggie remarked softly.

"I went back to Collinwood to tell Burke and Vicki I'm takin' the job," Willie informed her.

"Vicki must've been thrilled when you told her you reconsidered," Maggie said faintly. "Oh, Willie, do you really need to protect Barnabas again?"

"I'm protectin' you, too, Maggie," Willie insisted. "I ain't gonna let Barnabas hurt ya anymore."

"Yes, but you're dealing with a witch that cursed him and his family and she could really hurt you," Maggie protested. "And don't forget that ghost we saw in the West Wing. We don't know who she is and what she could do."

"I dealt with ghosts before with you," Willie reminded her. "And like I already said, I can't let Barnabas' curse go on. I don't want people gettin' killed, and me havin' to bury 'em again. The Collins family are in trouble, too, and they don't even know 'bout it. This way I can try to make things right and make up for my mistakes."

At this, Maggie sat on the end of her bed. She saw the sorrowful and regretful look veiling Willie's eyes. It was a look she'd seen in him every day since leaving the Old House.

"Do you really think that curing Barnabas will really change him?" Maggie asked him softly. "Will it really turned him back to the man he was, whoever that might be? Someone who doesn't kidnap and kill people? Most of all, will he finally set you free?"

"I dunno, it's worth a try." Willie shrugged as he sat next to her on the bed.

"I can't help but wonder if this will get in the way of Barnabas and Josette being together," said Maggie.

"Ya still pullin' for 'em?" Willie asked her, furrowing his brow.

"I don't know..." Maggie murmured, lowering her gaze.

"Josette wants Barnabas to be cured," Willie reminded her. "That's gotta mean somethin'."

"I guess," Maggie muttered, her gaze still downward.

"Maggie, I'm gonna keep ya safe," Willie promised her, tenderly rubbing his hand down her back. "I stood up to Barnabas. I told him to leave you alone, and ya can stay away from Collinwood. When Burke and Vicki pay me, I'm givin' ya the money."

"But it's your money," Maggie said stunned, glancing up at him.

"It's my fault that Barnabas is in ya life and all that ya went through," Willie said guiltily. "I know I can't change that, but I do owe you somethin'."

"Willie, please don't feel that way," Maggie pleaded. "You did help me. You saved my life."

"But I'm gonna really owe you somethin' for real," Willie said determinedly.

So determined, Maggie knew it was pointless trying to talk him out of it. She didn't want to admit it, but she hated that Willie was basically going back to being Barnabas' ghoul. Clearly he was still enslaved to the vampire. But she also knew he was trying to do something that he thought was right, and repenting over releasing a murderous vampire for ignorant selfish reasons.

"If ya want, I can stay here to make sure Barnabas don't come in," Willie offered hopefully.

Maggie smiled at him, and said, "Thanks, but Julia seems to have gotten rid of much of his predatory instinct. I don't think we need to worry about him coming in here."

"Okay," Willie muttered disappointedly, glancing down awkwardly on his lap.

"Besides, it will spare you another lecture from pop," Maggie reasoned.

Willie gazed up at her and smiled brokenly.

"Good night, Maggie." He got up and went over to the door and placed his hand on the knob. "I'm sorry this is happenin'," he muttered, his back still turned on her from the door.

"Good night, Willie."

Maggie watched him leave her bedroom and shut her door.

She heavily gazed downward again when a sudden familiar sweet scent tickled her nostrils, followed by an all to familiar melody resounding throughout her bedroom walls.

Maggie gazed up, and found a ghost sitting right next to her on the bed. She was dressed in white and shared Maggie's face.

"Josette," Maggie breathed, startled.

She nearly slid off her bed.

This was the first time Maggie had a full glimpse of her legendary doppelgänger. When she was forcibly held captive by Barnabas, Maggie only sensed Josette's presence, mainly through her jasmine perfume and beloved music box melody. Willie was the one who saw her during that time, and eventually Barnabas.

After her release, Maggie only saw a faint image of Josette floating and dancing on the rocky shores of Widows Hill, but it wasn't remotely as clear as she was seeing her now.

Maggie finally got the whole picture of how she was the spitting image of the woman Barnabas adored. Something she didn't get from that old portrait that was now hanging above the mantel in the parlor at the Old House.

The only major difference was Josette looked more sophisticated with her clothing and how she carried herself, like someone from an upper-class. Her curly dark hair was much longer and flowing than Maggie's.

"J-Josette," Maggie spluttered, listening to the haunting song of the music box that used to taunt her relentlessly.

_"Willie is in great danger, Maggie,"_ Josette warned her urgently.

"Yes, I know," Maggie echoed. "I don't want him to be involved in this, but he is so guilt ridden over Barnabas and my kidnapping, and burying all of those bodies, I can't change his mind."

_"You can protect him from Angelique,"_ Josette persisted.

"How?"

_"Wear this talisman."_ Josette handed her a golden medallion dangling on a golden chain.

"What is it?" Maggie knitted her brow, staring into the golden necklace with a simple circle symbol engraved in the center.

"_A trinket that will protect you and Willie from the witch's black magic,"_ Josette exclaimed. _"Considering you look like me, and Angelique despised me, you really need its protection._ _I wish_ _I had this in my possession when Barnabas and_ _I were alive."_

Maggie's heart fell at that last statement.

"Are you going to help Willie like you did with me?" Maggie asked her hopefully.

"_I will do whatever_ _I can to protect everyone,"_ said Josette.

Maggie feel a little disheartened. She remembered vividly how sometimes Josette's help was limited due to some supernatural force of Barnabas taking control of the Old House.

_"Willie needs you,"_ Josette pleaded to Maggie. _"He needs you more than ever, as well as your friend Victoria."_

Maggie listened to her wordlessly.

_"Angelique destroyed mine and Barnabas' happiness,"_ Josette went on mournfully. _"And Barnabas and Jeremiah's brotherly bond. We mustn't give her the satisfaction to destroy people who deeply love each other again."_

"No, we can't," Maggie agreed.

_"Stand by Willie's side and not allow Angelique to destroy your happiness like she did to me."_

Josette faded away like the icy breeze of winter, billowing Maggie's hair, and taking her signature music and scent with her.

After her departure, Maggie stared at the golden talisman within her clutches. She became lost in deep thought.

* * *

As the flames weakly diminished in the fireplace, Barnabas sat brooding on his armchair in the darkened parlor silently gazing up at the portrait of the mistress of the Old House. Shadows flickered in the dim light across the old portrait.

Julia had gone up to rest in Josette's bedroom after spending several hours going through her notes.

As the morning light drew nearer, Barnabas dreaded he had so little time left to exist with the night. An unnatural chill caressed his troubled features, and an all familiar person made herself be known with her tingling music and scent.

_"You need to start resting in your coffin,"_ Josette told him somberly. _"It will be dawn momentarily."_

"I am well aware," Barnabas said hesitantly, not looking up at her floating transparent form above him.

"_I am_ _a little cross with you, Barnabas,"_ Josette said displeased.

She floated further up above the armchair with her flowing gown billowing around her like an elegant dancer.

"_I_ _will not tolerate you contemplating murdering the people_ _I worked so hard to save from you. Nor will_ _I tolerate your desire and need to commit murder on any given terms._ _I shall send Dr. Hoffman away, and lock you in your coffin, forever if need be."_

"I understand your terms explicitly, Josette." Barnabas gazed up at her with dark eyes veiled in troubled torment.

Josette empathetically knew what was making him so aggrieved.

"_I am unpleased with Angelique's return as well,"_ she said down to him. _"She is trying to fight me and this family."_

"I fear if I rest in my coffin I will dream of her," Barnabas said hauntingly. "Just like the other night."

"_I won't allow Angelique to hurt you, my love,"_ Josette vowed to him. "_I want you to conquer your curse and find your happiness."_

"She destroyed us all before," Barnabas murmured.

_"It will not be repeated,"_ Josette said determinedly.

Over Barnabas' doubtful look, Josette said, _"Barnabas,_ _I am no longer that naïve girl Angelique deceived, and she is not the only one with powers. She may have banished me from the Great House, but that won't prevent my influence from reaching her._ _I need you to have faith in me, as well as your family. We all want to save you, Barnabas." _

* * *

The early morning light weakly streaked the Old House through the gray winter clouds. Barnabas had gone to retire in his coffin with the ghost of his father keeping tight guard. Angelique wouldn't come to disturb him, at least not physically.

An unusual meeting was conferring in the parlor. In a surreal sight, Josette sat comfortably inside her portrait perched above the mantel. Bright ghostly light shimmered around the frame of the old painting as Josette gazed around the room.

Little Sarah sat on the floor by the unlit fireplace, singing "London Bridge" softly to herself.

The corporeal ghost of Barnabas' mother, Naomi Collins, sat on her son's favorite armchair, garbed in a magnificent fluffy pale blue gown, while the transparent wispy ghost of Millicent Collins hovered faintly about the room in a thin gray gown with a black shawl. She fiddled fretfully with her long blonde ringlets.

The corporeal ghost of Josette's dear aunt, Countess Natalie du Pres, leaned grimly against one of the pink pillars entering into the parlor. She was dressed in an aristocratic gray gown with her red curls draped around the puffy upper sleeves of her shoulders.

"_I can't believe this is true,"_ said the Countess despairingly. _"The wicked woman has returned to inflict her curse."_

"_I agree with Josette,"_ said Naomi from her son's chair. _"We must retaliate in order to spare the family from this madness."_

_"It was rather foolish of you to provoke the witch, Josette,"_ Millicent chided, waving a finger up at the portrait. _"Therefore, you wouldn't have gotten banished from the Great House."_

_"The witch would've banished Josette from the family home anyway, Millicent,"_ said Naomi. _"After all, Josette has banished her from this house in order to regain enough power to become its mistress again. It would be likely for the witch to perform the same deceit on Josette."_

_"No, Millicent is right,"_ Josette admitted from her portrait. "_I was acting peevish. Now_ _I'm in_ _a position that_ _I can't protect David, his governess, and the family as_ _I did when the Phoenix was here."_

_"Thank heavens she is gone for now,"_ said Naomi relieved. _"That wicked Phoenix woman has never left our family well enough alone."_

_"You got yourself emotionally attached, Josette,"_ Millicent scolded. _"That is not good for carrying out your battles."_

_"But Collinwood has all kinds of ghosts with feelings."_ Sarah gazed up narrowly at her petite cousin from the floor. _"Dark ones."_

"_I suggest you_ _awaken Jeremiah from his rest,"_ Natalie proposed to her niece.

"_I can't do that, aunt Natalie,"_ Josette protested. _"Barnabas banished him."_

_"Then reverse the banishment,"_ Natalie implored her.

"_I shan't,"_ Josette said, averting her gaze from her aunt. _"Jeremiah wished to be laid to rest and_ _I refuse to disturb him. And_ _I further wish to pit Barnabas against Jeremiah no longer. Their estrangement shatters my heart."_

_"But Jeremiah is the most horrible phantom there is,"_ Millicent said giddily. _"His spirit fought the witch rather admirably when she cursed us all._ _I think you should summon him. He will bravely fight for the family's honor."_

"_I don't doubt that, Millicent,"_ said Josette from her illuminated portrait. _"But_ _I already disturb his rest when he wish not to._ _I shall not do it again."_

_"What do you propose for how we fight the witch?"_ asked Naomi.

_"I've sent Ben to find me_ _a terrible frightening phantom to fight for me,"_ said Josette.

_"Oh,_ _a phantom as horrid as Jeremiah!"_ Millicent squealed delightedly, clapping her hands together excitedly, and bouncing around like a hyperactive child.

"_I sincerely hope so,"_ uttered Josette.

In a tingling chill, Ben's ghost materialized into the parlor.

_"Oh, Ben has returned with our ghastly fiend."_ Millicent giggled girlishly, bouncing up and down.

_"Have you, Ben?"_ Josette asked hopefully from her portrait.

"_I dunno if_ _I call 'im ghastly, Ms. Josette,"_ said Ben. _"He is nothin' like Mr. Jeremiah. But he is_ _a shi'fty sort."_

_"Well, where is he?!"_ Millicent whined impatiently, looking around the room.

_"Where did that package come from?"_ Naomi asked suddenly, pointing a finger at a decorative white box sitting on the middle of the floor. It had a flashy red ribbon bow tied delicately around it. It was a package that wasn't even there a moment ago.

Josette glanced down on the mysterious gift.

"_I honestly don't know,"_ she whispered surprised.

Shrouded in eerie white light, Josette rose and stepped out from her portrait. She floated gently down to the floor with her veil and the bottom of her long flowing white gown billowing behind her like silk.

She landed softly on the floor to her knees and shadowed over the package. Naomi and Natalie loomed cautiously over Josette's shoulders, while Millicent and Sarah watched curiously nearby the fireplace. Josette slowly untied the red ribbon bow and removed the lid.

In a quick flash, a skeletal hand burst out of the package tightly gripping a pistol in its long bony fingers. A white flashy banner popped out of the barrel emblazoned in bold black lettering: **FIB.**

The ghost ladies reacted slightly confused, cocking their heads quizzically, while Sarah seemed mildly amused.

Ben gave Josette a sincere apologetic look.

A deranged wild cackling slice through the air, causing the draperies from the bay window to rustle suddenly.

A transparent figure dematerialized through the draperies. It was a ghost of a young man garbed in a nineteenth century stuffy brown suit and coat. He was an identical stranger to a man baring familiar gray-blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. Something that was astonishingly similar to Josette and Maggie, and other seas of people in Collinsport for that matter.

_"What is so funny, sir?"_ Sarah asked the stranger as she got up from the floor by the cold fireplace.

_"Don't speak to him, Sarah!"_ Naomi sternly scolded her daughter. _"We don't know who he is."_

The stranger hardly noticed this disapproval. He was still laughing madly.

_"Y-You all should've seen the look on your faces!" _His cackling echo prominently throughout the old rickety Walls of the manor.

_"Ben, why on earth did you bring_ _a madman here?"_ Natalie reprimanded the servant.

"_I am 'ery 'orry,"_ said Ben. _"But like_ _I said, 'his man is_ _a shi'fty sort."_

_"Who might you be?"_ Josette asked the new phantom.

At her question, the ghost of this man finally stopped laughing, and registered her query.

_"Carl,"_ he answered her. _"Carl Collins."_

_"My gracious, you are_ _a Collins!"_ Naomi was mortified by this claim. If she wasn't a ghost, she would've probably fainted.

"_I'm from another time in the family history,"_ Carl said affronted.

_"Do you know who_ _I am?"_ Josette asked him.

_"Of course."_ Carl bowed to her respectfully. He then giggled lightly. "_I just pulled_ _a prank on the mighty Josette Collins!"_

"_I am tru'ly 'orry, Ms. Josette."_ Ben bowed his head in an apologetic manner. "_I never 'hought he would treat ya an' 'his house with compl'ete dis'honor."_

_"It is all right, Ben,"_ Josette assured him. "_I am not offended."_

"_I fail to see the humor of the package,"_ Millicent cut in, pursing her lips. "_I find nothing ghastly nor humorous about the skeletal arm with the façade pistol."_

_"Can you do something like you just did with the package and make it_ frightful?" Josette asked Carl.

_"What_ are _you saying?"_ Carl gawked at her. _"You actually want me to joke around?"_

_"At Collinwood,"_ Josette commanded of him.

Carl's transparent form lit up, and he squealed ecstatically.

_"Really? Wow, no one ever wanted ol' Carl to play out his jokes at Collinwood. Certainly not someone like Josette Collins. Oh, how_ _I wish my brothers and sister were here to witness this."_

The Old House's mistress smiled kindly at the prankster.

"_I need you to do this to protect the family from_ _a treacherous witch,"_ she said to him. _"And two people who share our countenance."_

Carl nodded, then looked at her bewildered.

_"Wait, what do you mean by that last statement?"_

_"There are two people who_ _I care about who share our faces,"_ Josette explained to him.

Carl nodded, but he was still clearly confounded over what she was referring to.

* * *

**Next Chapter: The Forces of Collinwood**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Dark Shadows is** **a Dan Curtis Production and not mine**

* * *

CHAPTER 5: THE FORCES OF COLLINWOOD

The Great House was cloaked in mist and shadows in the early morning light as Angelique, in her Cassandra persona, silently creeped down the staircase carrying a lit candlestick. The witch stepped down into the foyer with the great assurance that the family were preoccupied in the kitchen, thinking she was still asleep.

Dressed in a warm, heavy winter coat with an attached hood covering her dark head, Cassandra crept up to Barnabas' portrait by the front doors and smirked.

He was in his coffin now, and Cassandra would make certain to pay him another visit in his dreams, free from haunting ghosts. She was bound to make him suffer through another painful day of unrest.

Satisfied with her devious plans, Cassandra stepped outside to the gray brisk morning.

Undeterred by the bone-chilling frost of winter, Cassandra trudged her way through the snow, and stepped on the lovely stone and marble gazebo the Collinses had in their garden. The benches and statue were covered in deep white snow.

Standing firmly in the center of the snowy and drafty gazebo, Cassandra spoke directly into the small candle flame within her grasp.

Barnabas was trying to lift her curse and she'd be damned if she'd allow that to happen. She needed to know more of the baffling treatments Dr. Hoffman was pursuing.

"Willie Loomis," Cassandra commanded into the tiny flame. "Listen to me. Listen to my voice."

* * *

Snug in his warm small bed in his small plain bedroom at the Evans cottage, Willie fluttered open his eyes. He sat up on his bed alertly with his hair sticking up.

_"Willie Loomis,"_ a woman's voice summoned deeply inside his mind. _"Come to me."_

"Who's there?" Willie demanded unnerved, staring around wide-eyed in his half-vacant bedroom from his bed.

_"Come to me, Willie Loomis,"_ the voice ordered.

"Uh-uh, no way!" Willie said resolutely, shaking his head. "It's not good listenin' to voices comin' outta nowhere!"

This was a fact Willie knew painfully well. He still suffered from horrid nightmares of his former master's slithering voice calling deeply inside his mind, commanding him to come to do unspeakable things.

"Come to me, Willie Loomis!" The chilly persistence of the voice freezed up Willie's senses.

Against his will, Willie got dressed, slipped on his coat and boots, and slinked out of the Evans cottage undetected. Reluctantly and obsessively, Willie drove his dirty white beat-up truck to Collinwood where he met up with Cassandra and her hypnotic candle flame on the snowy gazebo in the garden.

Willie came up to her blankly in a trance, his eyes glued on the small candle flame.

"What d'you want from me?" Willie asked monotonously.

"I want you to tell me about Barnabas' treatments," Cassandra demanded of him, her voice misty in the cold thin air. "How is he using Dr. Hoffman to lift the curse?"

"I dunno," Willie answered her lifelessly, his gaze still hypnotically on the flame.

Cassandra was taken aback. She absolutely knew for certain Willie was Barnabas' servant.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Cassandra sneered at him.

"Dr. Hoffman is treatin' him," Willie obediently supplied, his blank gaze still on the flame.

"Yes, but how is she treating him?" Cassandra said coolly.

"She's a doctor," Willie said robotically.

"Yes, but what scientific nonsense is she conducting on him?" Cassandra spat.

"I dunno," said Willie.

"But how do you not know?!" Cassandra looked at him deadly. "You are his servant!"

A cold breeze snuffed out Cassandra's delicate candle flame. A spine tingling unnatural breeze tinged with a sweet tingling melody.

Willie instantly blinked and his eyes became more focused.

"Y-You..." he stuttered nervously to Cassandra. "W-Why am I here?"

_"Go on home, Willie,"_ the disembodied voice of Josette cut through the frigid air. _"You are not required here."_

Willie glanced around frightened, but he knew who that voice belonged to.

"O-Okay, Josette."

Willie got the hell away from the gazebo at once, leaving Cassandra fuming with her prominent blue eyes glaring dangerously throughout the snow.

_"You may have banished me from the Great House, Angelique, but you certainly haven't banished me from the grounds,"_ Josette's eerie voice taunted the witch. _"You are not rid of me, and let me warn you_ _I am not the same naïve girl you destroyed."_

* * *

Maggie was serving scrambled eggs and coffee at the Collinsport Inn. When she got up that morning, she and Sam found that Willie had left the cottage and his truck was gone.

Maggie figured he merely went to the Inn early, which frankly didn't feel right, but he was not there when Maggie arrived for work.

Mr. Wells told her he hadn't shown up.

Maggie's heart slightly fell. He probably went over to check how Barnabas was doing. But why didn't he tell her he was heading out?

From the counter, Maggie gazed up with mixed emotions when she spotted Dr. Woodard and Dr. Hoffman filing into the diner together. They sat across from each other at one of the tables, and Maggie served them some coffee.

She still had a hard time coping with Julia and her involvement with Barnabas. Maggie didn't give her the usual friendly "good morning" like she reserved for the other customers. But the two doctors did give Maggie their order; pancakes for Dr. Woodard, fried eggs and toast for Julia, and Maggie served them.

As she moved away from their table, Maggie observed the two doctors engaging in a heavy conversation. They were speaking in low voices, and Maggie was much too busy tending to other customers to fully listen.

But Maggie was certain the doctors were discussing Julia's cure for Barnabas. Near as Maggie could tell, Dr. Woodard and Julia were being extremely careful about what they were saying in this public space. They obviously didn't use words that were completely fantastical, like vampire, or curse, or witch, or ghost. Josette and Angelique's names didn't seem to be brought up, either. It was a careful façade to make it seemed that the doctors were merely speaking of an ordinary simple patient, and referring in professional scientific terms that Maggie couldn't understand.

Maggie couldn't help but note Julia's obvious devotion to Barnabas. Maggie remembered how defensive Julia was toward Barnabas from the night before, and even by looking at her, Maggie could tell the doctor harbored some unyielding devotion and loyalty to the vampire.

Maggie sighed.

Barnabas clearly got himself another servant.

But Maggie was still puzzled why Julia wanted to serve Barnabas by deliberately seeking him out in the first place.

Maggie's foreboding thoughts got interrupted by Willie's sudden arrival at the diner. His eyes were wide and his face was troubled and pale.

"Willie?"

Maggie hurried over to him, and said, "Where have you been?"

Willie grabbed her by the shoulders and ushered her into the phone booth that Mr. Wells recently installed into the diner. Willie stepped inside the booth with her, and shut the glass door, closing them in the tightly uncomfortable and intimately confined space.

"Uh, Willie, this looks very conspicuous."

Maggie was a little humiliated by how all the customers, including Julia and Dr. Woodard, had witnessed them in this publicly awkward situation. But to their credit, this was only momentary, and the customers got back to their own usual business.

"Somethin' strange happened to me this mornin', Maggie," Willie whispered frantically, his back uncomfortably jagged against the black phone on the hook. "I woke up standin' in the gazebo at Collinwood dressed and everythin'. And Angelique was there, and Josette's voice and music. Josette got me outta there."

"What?" Maggie gasped wide-eyed.

"There was somethin' before that," Willie muttered thoughtfully. "Some voice callin' to me in bed, but I can't really remember clearly."

"Josette is right," Maggie whispered solemnly. "Angelique doesn't waste any time."

At Willie's questioning frown, Maggie clarified, "Oh, um, Josette visited me in my room last night. In fact, she came right after you left. She brought her jasmine perfume, music, and everything."

"Oh?" Willie cocked his head surprised.

"Yes, she looks a lot like me," Maggie murmured.

"Oh, ya finally saw her then," said Willie.

"Yes." Maggie nodded. "She said I need to protect you from Angelique."

"Does this mean I get to sleep in your room?" Willie grinned mischievously. "Ya can't let her call to me like she did this mornin'. I'm not safe alone."

"You never are." Maggie reached inside the top of her uniform and pulled out the talisman Josette gave her.

"I want you to wear this," she said, handing Willie the golden talisman. "Josette says it will protect you from Angelique."

Willie furrowed his brow as he gazed at the talisman in his hand. Maggie wondered if he was by any chance disappointed that it was made from plain gold with no shiny jewels attached to it.

"You can wear it under your shirt," Maggie instructed.

Willie looked unpleased by that prospect.

"Please, Willie," Maggie pleaded. "Josette and I want you to be protected."

"Okay, Maggie."

Willie begrudgingly put the golden chain around his head, and hid the medallion under his formfitting turtleneck.

"There, no witch won't call to me," he muttered.

"I hope so," said Maggie.

"I need to talk to Mr. Wells and meet up with Burke at Collinwood," Willie exclaimed.

"Getting ready to switch jobs," Maggie surmised knowingly.

"Pretty much," said Willie.

Abruptly the glass door of the phone booth pulled wide open, startling the two. Julia looked at them with suspicious squinty eyes, a look Maggie grew closely familiar with when they used to have their therapy sessions.

"Is something the matter?" Julia asked them.

"No." Maggie shook her head.

"Not really," said Willie, giving her a hard untrusting look.

The two stepped out of the cramped phone booth and Julia watched them go narrowly.

Willie left the diner, while Maggie resumed her waitressing.

Julia returned back to her and Dr. Woodard's table. Once she sat down, Dr. Woodard cast her a telling look.

"Julia," he said, "please answer me this. Does curing Barnabas Collins mean more to you personally or professionally?"

Julia didn't hesitate with her reply.

"Frankly, a little of both," she said. "He's someone I've been waiting for my entire life."

Maggie couldn't help but eavesdrop on that little exchange as she wiped the counter.

* * *

There was still a little afternoon light by the time Maggie's shift ended. She found Mr. Wells fiddling around the front desk in the lobby. Willie had gone up to Collinwood to go over some renovation plans with Burke and Vicki, so he was not around for what Maggie was about to do. She told her boss she needed to quit her job because something majorly important happened to her, but she purposely didn't go into any great detail.

Mr. Wells, a thin, friendly, middle-aged man with thinning brown hair, beady eyes, and spectacles perched high on the bridge of his long nose, was dismayed. He peered closely at Maggie through his spectacles.

"Is this by any chance related to Willie?" he asked her closely. "He just up and quit today, too."

"Willie's got a new job," Maggie explained.

"Yes, I know, he told me." Mr. Wells nodded. "By any chance are you and Willie planning on getting married? Is that why I'm losing you both?"

Maggie painfully swallowed. A violent image sliced through her vision. An image of herself in Josette's wedding gown with Barnabas sinking his sharp animal fangs into her soft delicate neck, drinking her blood.

"Maggie?"

Maggie blinked.

Mr. Wells looked at her concern behind the front desk.

"Are you alright? For a moment there you were as white as a ghost."

"I'm fine, Mr. Wells," Maggie insisted, forcing herself to not jump at the "ghost" comment. "It's just that Willie and I... we're not thinking that far ahead."

"Oh?" A puzzling crease form across the older man's forehead.

"If I need a steady job, you will take me back, right?" Maggie asked him. "I can come by every once in a while and help out."

"Well, of course, if it's possible," Mr. Wells said with a shrug. "You've been working here since you were fifteen. I hate to see you go. I've grown very fond of you being here."

"Thank you, Mr. Wells." Maggie smiled.

After she collected some of her work belongings, Maggie climbed into her car and drove away from the Inn. She couldn't believe the destination she was driving to. As she rode on the dark misty road in the snow-covered woods, she shifted her gears and drove up Widows Hill. The creepy silhouette of Collinwood in the waning light from the late cloudy sky was visible through the windshield.

Maggie's heart raced wildly. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this.

She recalled how just a short year ago she bluntly stated to Burke Devlin that there was no amount of money in the world that would make her live in Collinwood. But that was her life before Barnabas. Before Willie.

Josette's warning about Angelique and how the witch effortlessly controlled Willie with her witchcraft clung onto Maggie like a flesh-eating virus. It was almost like how Barnabas used to control Willie with his mind control.

Maggie wondered if Angelique was using the same exact method on Roger. That made her feel a little empty. Maggie may not have the most favorable view of Roger Collins, (and the hell he put her father through for ten years), but not even he deserved to have his feelings controlled and manipulated like an unloved puppet.

As she drove closer to the shadowy, imposing mansion, Maggie noticed a crew hanging up Christmas lights on the grounds throughout the estate. Maggie spotted Joe among them.

She then rode by the Old House, and no matter how hard she fought it, a spiky familiar chill naturally creeped down her spine. Just like old times.

At last, Maggie parked her car next to Willie's dirty truck. She got out and trudged her way through the snow. Maggie stepped up to the front double doors and used the knocker.

Elizabeth answered the door, wearing a black sweater with a matching long skirt.

"Hello, Maggie," she said formally. "I presume you're here to see Willie and Vicki."

"Well... yes." Maggie smiled sheepishly. "But I'd like to speak with you first."

"Oh?" Elizabeth raised a surprised brow.

"Yes, privately," said Maggie.

"Well, come on in." The matriarch invited Maggie in and shut the front doors. "We'll talk in the drawing room."

The two crossed the spacious foyer and entered the deserted drawing room.

"Would you like for Mrs. Johnson to make you some tea?" Elizabeth asked courteously.

"Oh, no, Mrs. Stoddard," Maggie declined politely. "I'm fine."

Elizabeth shut the large double doors to tightly conceal them into the room. This always struck Maggie as being a very secretive gesture when someone in the Collins family invited a guest to this room and shut those large paneled doors.

A nice warming fire burned in the fireplace.

Elizabeth and Maggie sat themselves down on the couch.

"What would you like to speak with me about?" Elizabeth asked Maggie.

"Are you still looking for a second maid?" Maggie inquired.

"Why, yes," Elizabeth answered properly, placing her hands on her lap. "We're not really having any luck finding one at the moment."

"I would like to apply for the job," Maggie offered to her.

"You?"

"Yes."

"But don't you have a job at the Collinsport Inn?" Elizabeth asked her.

"I... don't work there anymore," Maggie stammered a little nervously.

"Were you let go?" asked Elizabeth.

"No, nothing like that," Maggie quickly assured her. "It was completely mutual. I think I'm suitable for the job. I'm used to doing labor, and I'm a good cook, just ask Willie and my pop on that, and I know how to follow orders."

"That is preferable," said Elizabeth. "But why exactly do you want to work here at Collinwood? Do you wish to be closer to Willie?"

Maggie tried not to let the matriarch see right through her. True, she was applying for the job (something she didn't even want) to look after Willie, but she was also trying to keep a close eye on Angelique. Maggie hoped if Angelique was gotten rid of, the Collins family curse would come to an end, and peace would be restored in Collinsport.

"Mrs. Stoddard, I assure you this is strictly professional. But it is nice that Willie will be here, and Vicki and Burke."

"Very well." Elizabeth nodded, satisfied. "I'd like for you to start as soon as possible."

"Okay," Maggie agreed eagerly.

"But there is one important matter I want to make clear with you," Elizabeth stated strictly.

"What is that?"

"You answer to me and only to me," Elizabeth told her rather matronly. "I am the mistress of Collinwood and I'm the one solely responsible for managing this house and our family holdings."

"Yes, I know that," Maggie said steadily. "I thought that was common knowledge."

"Yes, but Roger's new wife seems to think she's in charge," Elizabeth griped. "She keeps trying to give Mrs. Johnson orders without my consent, and if I didn't know any better, I'd swear she's deliberately trying to undermine me."

Maggie took that in. Clearly, Angelique was fighting to gain control of Collinwood from Elizabeth.

"That won't be a problem," Maggie assured her. "I'll follow your orders."

"Good," Elizabeth said pleased. "I'd like for you to come by tomorrow morning around nine or ten so we can go over a schedule."

"I'll be here." Maggie got up from the couch. "I'm going to head up to the West Wing and see how Willie and the happy couple are doing."

"All right."

Elizabeth got off the couch and politely escorted Maggie out of the drawing room. Once Elizabeth opened the doors into the foyer, the two walked in on Joe stepping into the mansion from the front doors at the entrance. He kicked off the snow covering his boots on the freezing front porch.

Elizabeth walked up to him.

"All the Christmas lights are just about up, Mrs. Stoddard," Joe reported.

He brushed some snow off the shoulders of his heavy green coat as he stepped inside. Elizabeth shut the front doors once he came in.

"Thank you, Joe," Elizabeth told him graciously. "How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Stoddard," Joe insisted, shaking his hands dismissively in front of himself. "No charge."

"Oh, I insist," said Elizabeth.

"No, it's the season," said Joe. "You and your family have been generous to me, and I merely repaying the favor out of friendship."

Elizabeth was clearly uncertain of his reasoning in this matter, but decided not to fight against it.

"Thank you. I think Carolyn is in the kitchen. I'm going to check in on Roger."

Joe and Maggie watched her exit the foyer and headed in the direction of the study. Alone in the foyer, Maggie stepped up to Joe at the entrance with a small grin on her face.

"Hi, Joe."

"Hi, Maggie," Joe replied earnestly. "Are you having a wonderful holiday season?"

Maggie chewed the inside of her cheek. Between Barnabas' unwelcome return, and Angelique's equally unwelcome arrival, Maggie really hadn't the time to properly enjoy the Christmas season. Certainly not in the way she'd like.

"It's been busy," she decided to answer him. "How about you?"

"It's been busy for me, too," said Joe. "Carolyn loves dragging me to all the stores from here to Bangor."

Behind the staircase, Cassandra emerged from the back door leading into the kitchen. She paused once she heard Joe and Maggie's voices near the front entrance.

"Is Carolyn treating you well?" Maggie asked Joe.

Cassandra kept herself hidden behind the staircase and continued listening in.

"Yes," Joe answered Maggie.

"It wasn't all that long ago when she broke your heart, Joe," Maggie murmured pointedly.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't all that long ago when Willie Loomis treated you like garbage," Joe retorted indignantly.

"Joe, the worse Willie's done is drunkenly make a pass at me at the Blue Whale," Maggie countered irritably.

"Oh, he was quite the dirtbag when he came here," Joe sniped. "Remembered how he pulled a-not-so-friendly switch blade on Burke?"

"Yes, he was a lousy person when he came here," Maggie agreed, attempting not to get upset. "But he didn't break my heart like Carolyn did to you. That's the huge difference."

"You broke my heart, too, Maggie," Joe countered soberly.

Maggie dropped her guilty gaze on the cold stone floor, her heart crumbling, and her eyes concealing dark secrets.

"I know you didn't intend for that to happen. I know you went through an ordeal. Maybe someday, when you're ready, you'll tell me all about it."

At Joe's sudden words, Maggie gazed up at him again.

"Since you're kidnapping, everything has changed, especially you and me. In the midst of it all, Willie and Carolyn decided not to treat us like dirt anymore for some reason."

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Joe," Maggie murmured, dropping her soft gaze back on the stone floor again. "I really am. I wish things were different."

"I'm glad you're alive and well and spending Christmas with Sam."

Joe's words were filled with such a genuine sincerity, it made Maggie glance up at him again.

"Thank you," she said in a small smile. "I hope you have a good Christmas, too."

"I will." Joe nodded.

"I'll see you around, Joe."

Maggie ascended up the staircase and Joe watched her disappear behind the second story door up the landing.

Once Maggie was gone, Cassandra decided to emerge from hiding in the shadows. When she quietly took one step however, Cassandra felt something crawling down her neck and spine. An unusual sensation like icy fingers tickled her flesh. She somehow tripped and stumbled clumsily onto the large table in the center of the foyer.

_I_ _thought_ _I banished you from here, Josette,_ Cassandra thought savagely.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Collins?"

Joe urgently rushed over to come to her aid. Cassandra couldn't help but to feel a little embarrassed. This wasn't exactly the graceful entrance she wanted to present for this young man.

"Yes, I'm alright."

Cassandra regained her composure and stood up straight against the table.

"Your Carolyn's friend, aren't you?" she asked him a little flustered.

"Yes, I'm Joe Haskell."

"It's nice meeting you again, Joe." Cassandra smiled warmly at him, and went into the drawing room.

Joe watched her go slightly befuddled.

Once Cassandra shut herself in the lonely drawing room, a cruel mocking laughter stung in Joe's ears.

He glanced around the foyer, but found no one was with him. But he sensed a presence.

A shadow loomed up behind him, startling him. Joe frantically whirled around and came face-to-face with a man smirking arrogantly at him. A man wearing an elaborate blue Naval uniform with a matching cape... and Joe's face. He was a man with the exact same blue eyes and wavy dark hair as Joe. It was unbelievably uncanny. The Naval sailor laughed tauntingly at his doppelgänger's face.

_"Sailor, you are quite the devil with the ladies."_

The man then faded away like a ghost in front of Joe's very eyes, taking his cruel mean-spirited laughter with him.

Joe tightly squeezed shut his eyes and listened to his drumming heartbeats. He didn't know what just transpired. He assumed it was something he must've vividly imagined.

* * *

As Maggie made her way down the creaky corridor, she smiled warmly to herself. Even though it got a little confrontational there, she was otherwise very pleased with her friendly encounter with Joe, and how it ended civilly.

She wondered if it was possible for them to become friends again, like they were before they started dating. But for that to work, Joe and Willie had to become friends, too.

Was that even remotely possible?

As Maggie drew herself closer to the closed door opening up to the dark and deploring West Wing, she paused when she noticed one of the bedroom doors were wide open. Several bedroom doors neighbored the West Wing, and Maggie had personally never been in any of them. But this door, which was the closest to the West Wing, apparently opened up into Vicki's bedroom.

The governess sat on her canopy bed, with a plethora of bridal magazines scattered all over her well-made bedspreads.

Maggie lightly rapped on the door.

"Vicki?"

The dark-haired governess glanced up from her magazines on her bed.

"Maggie," Vicki replied presently. "Are you here to see Willie?"

"Yes, among other things."

Maggie invited herself into the bedroom. The furniture had an upper stuffy quality that Maggie assumed came with the room when Vicki moved into it.

"Mrs. Stoddard hired me to be the second maid for this place," Maggie informed her.

"You? Really?" Vicki was clearly surprised.

"Yes, I applied for the job," Maggie exclaimed. "I figure Mrs. Stoddard needs the extra help."

"Yes, but do you really want to be a maid?" Vicki asked her a little dubiously.

"I know it's not the most glamorous job in the world," said Maggie. "But it's not like my waitressing was turning me into a princess."

"But I thought you hated this place," said Vicki.

"Yes, but it's time for me to try something new," Maggie insisted.

She gazed down on the bridal magazines. With the glamorous covers of happy brides gleaming in their silk wedding gowns, Maggie tried to forget the terrifying image of herself in a ghostly wedding gown with Barnabas drinking blood from her neck.

"Maggie, I think you are using this for an excuse to be closer to Willie."

Maggie didn't hear Vicki's words. Her friend sounded so distant and faraway. Maggie blinked and decided to shift the conversation in another direction.

"So, I see you're really anticipating marrying Burke."

Maggie indicated the many bridal magazines laid out throughout the bed.

Vicki looked at Maggie skeptically, perhaps sensing something was off, but she smiled nonetheless over Maggie's comment.

"Yes, things have been busy around here lately," she said. "Between my upcoming marriage, the West Wing, Christmas, and Roger's new wife."

Maggie noticed Vicki's obvious hesitation with that last statement.

All day long at the Inn, Maggie heard people gossiping deliriously over Roger Collins' new bride. They were cracking wise over how young and attractive Cassandra was in comparison to the much older Roger.

People joked that Roger must be suffering from a midlife crisis. But judging by the dark heavy look veiling Vicki's eyes, Maggie could tell that the governess found no humor in this situation.

"Roger's marriage must've come as a shock," Maggie said gently.

"I'm worried what this could do to David," Vicki said softly.

"They're not getting along?" Maggie queried.

"They haven't really been spending that much time together yet," Vicki exclaimed. "Roger is trying to handle this as delicately as possible."

She then fell silent.

"Vicki?" Maggie tilted her head.

The governess glanced up at her friend again, and said, "There is something not right with this marriage, Maggie. Roger doesn't seem like himself. We don't talk about David's lessons like we used to. He hardly spends any time with Carolyn since he got back. And he and Mrs. Stoddard have been arguing a lot more."

Maggie raised her brows.

"And then there's Cassandra," Vicki went on. "I don't know... but she strikes me as someone who is very cold... and... very manipulative. But I have no proof of that."

Maggie didn't know what to say. Clearly, Vicki didn't know Cassandra was actually a witch who was controlling Roger with black magic, and had deadly and merciless intentions for the Collins clan.

One thing was certain; Vicki didn't trust Cassandra anymore than Elizabeth did.

A sound of a creaking door came from the direction of the West Wing. Burke and Willie came up to Vicki's open bedroom door from out the corridor.

"Darling, have you seen David?" Burke asked his fiancée from the open doorway. "He was following me and Willie around when we were going through some plans."

"I haven't seen him around here," Vicki told him from her bed. "He's likely in the West Wing hiding someplace. He knows that area very well."

"Maggie, what are ya doin' here?" Willie cut in from the doorway.

"Get used to seeing Maggie around here, Willie," said Vicki. "Mrs. Stoddard hired her to be our second maid."

"What?" Burke looked bemused.

But Willie was clearly displeased by this development.

* * *

In a shadowy corridor in the West Wing, David and Sarah sat across from each other on their knees on the cold flagstone floor. The sinking evening light faintly filtered in from the filthy but elegant stained-glass window nearby. But it was Sarah's ghostly white glow that mostly illuminated the corridor.

The two children rolled Sarah's small ball across to each other on the flagstone.

Sarah looked she was getting ready to sing her song in the midst of their game, but David opted not to hear that tiring tune. There was something he wanted to know. Something the boy was certain Sarah knew the answer to.

"Hey, Sarah," began David, as he rolled the ball back over to the ghost girl. "How come I haven't seen Josette lately?"

_"Josette is still here, David." _Sarah rolled the ball back over to him, who in turn rolled the ball right back.

"Yes, I know," said David. "But I haven't seen her in Collinwood. And I still don't know why I'm not allowed to go to the Old House anymore."

_"If you want to see Josette, you must go outdoors,"_ Sarah informed him.

"Why?" David questioned in a whiny voice. "Why can't she see me here in Collinwood? And why can't I see her at the Old House like I used to?"

"_I'm not allowed to say, David,"_ Sarah said in her usual secretive way.

The two continued rolling the ball back and forth.

"Oh, come on, Sarah!" David pouted. "I really need Josette. I know I do. There is something about that Cassandra woman. I don't like how she looks at me. She's bad, I can tell."

_"She is, David,"_ said Sarah. _"You need to be careful with her."_

David paused as he snatched the rolling ball in his clutches. He looked around the corridor blankly.

_"What is it, David?"_ Sarah asked him.

"Do you hear that?" David whispered, staring around.

_"Hear what?"_

"Music..." David murmured to her.

* * *

"With the way your sulking, I gather you don't approve of me working at Collinwood."

With a flickering candlestick in hand, Maggie creaked down one of the dark, ominous West Wing corridors, with the silent Willie traveling right beside her. He, too, was carrying a lit candlestick, and tried to maneuver around the shadows.

The two agreed to help Vicki and Burke find David, and the two couples decided to split up to find him.

"I don't get why ya wanna work here," Willie whispered to her in a frustrated hiss. "And as a maid at that!"

"Willie, I was a waitress," Maggie countered calmly. "I'm not really demoting myself as much as you think."

"Yeah, but you're a lot safer workin' at the Inn!" Willie argued.

"But you're not safe here!" Maggie shot back heatedly.

At his startled reaction, Maggie heaved a deep sigh, ran a hand through her pulled back auburn hair, and said calmly, "Willie, listen, you helped me at the Old House. The least I can do is help you here in this haunted house. I really do owe you one. I didn't like how Angelique or Cassandra or whatever her name is called you against your will. It's like Barnabas all over again. Josette's warning about her really got to me. Please, let me help you."

"But you bein' here might make things worse," Willie protested. "You look a lot like Josette. The witch might not like that."

"Then you and I will just have to share the talisman Josette gave us," Maggie insisted stubbornly. "We'll take turns wearing it. Hopefully, Josette has something in mind for getting rid of the witch. She said she would help whenever she can, like she did for you this morning. I hope it's not so limited like at the Old House."

"I still don't like ya workin' here," Willie muttered. "I tried so hard to protect you before."

"I'm already involved, Willie," said Maggie. "Barnabas dragged me into all of this when he kidnapped me. We need to work on this together."

* * *

"Can you hear it, Sarah?"

David got up from his spot on the floor and tried to prick his ears to listen closely to the music. The music sounded so faint and blended so naturally in the darkness of this ancient home. To David, the music sounded both intimidating and sad.

_"Hear what, David?"_ queried Sarah from the floor.

"The music," David said a little impatiently, glowering down on her.

"_I hear music all the time,"_ Sarah stated.

David tried to pick up where the dour song was coming from. His curious gaze met the paneled wall beside himself and Sarah.

"Maybe it's coming from behind here."

David stepped up and leaned against the paneled wall. He placed his ear closely against it.

**STAY AWAY FROM THE WALL!**

Panicked and alarmed, David turned away from the wall in an instant. A frantic voice boomed inside his head. The frantic voice of a woman. When David frighteningly faced Sarah, his gaze stumbled into another presence.

A tall, slender woman stiffly stood beside Sarah, who still sat on her knees on the floor. The woman had long curly blonde hair pulled up in a bun, and sharp crystal clear blue eyes.

She cast David a strong warning look.

She wore a long flowing white gown, and was slightly shrouded in a white luminous glow.

David's heart raced madly against his ribs. He knew this woman was a ghost. One of many in Collinwood. But David had never seen this particular ghost before. He didn't recall seeing some old peeling portrait of her on any of the many walls adorning the Great House, or the various old books about the Collins family history.

Was this woman even a Collins?

_"You should leave here, David,"_ Sarah murmured pointedly. _"Something is stirring."_

"David!?" called out a voice resounding throughout the old walls of the darkening corridors.

It was Vicki.

At the sound of the governess' voice, the two ghosts suddenly vanished, abandoning David in the darkness.

But approaching footsteps quickly came his way, followed by a flashlight beam turning from a corner. A sudden beam of light splashed across David's face, causing him to squint from the unwanted brightness.

"Oh, there you are, David," Vicki breathed in relief from up the corridor. "Burke, I found him!" she hollered over her shoulder.

Vicki's familiar outline came sprinting down toward David with her flashlight in hand. Burke followed in pursuit from behind, carrying his flashlight.

"Where have you been?" Vicki sternly questioned her charge as she stepped up to him.

"I was just playing with Sarah," David said innocently.

"With Sarah?" Burke said over Vicki's shoulder, wrinkling his brow.

"Yeah, here's her ball, Burke."

David showed him Sarah's ball in his hand. Burke shined the beam of his flashlight on it.

"I keep telling you she's real," David argued to him. "We were playing with it, and then I hear this music, and a ghost lady appeared. She was someone I never saw before. She really didn't want me to go near that wall."

David indicated the paneled wall beside him.

"Don't you believe me?"

"Yes, I believe you, David," Vicki said patiently. "The ghost lady and Sarah are gone now."

"You'd better get washed up, Davey," said Burke. "It'll be dinnertime, soon."

"Okay, Burke," David agreed.

Vicki placed a hand on David's shoulder, and the three made their way up the corridor. Willie and Maggie turned the corner with their candlesticks, and bumped into the trio.

"It's all right," Burke told them. "We found him. He was just playing with his Sarah and other ghosts."

Wordlessly, Willie followed the three down a fleet of corridors. As he looked beside himself, Willie realized Maggie was no longer with him.

* * *

Maggie was in the same corridor with her candlestick where Vicki and Burke found David. She looked around the dark dreary place with the thick cobwebs draped from the rafters and crown moldings up above, and deep shadows clinging on the paneled walls. Examining the filthy stained-glass window, and elaborate carvings on the wall panels, Maggie strongly felt she'd been here before.

It dawned on her she had been here. This was where she and Willie encountered the ghost of that mysterious woman.

But Maggie felt she'd been here before that. But she'd never even been in the West Wing portion of Collinwood before the other night.

There was something unmistakably dreamlike about this place.

_Is it even remotely possible to visit_ _an actual place in a dream?_ Maggie pondered inwardly.

A mysterious music weakly intruded itself through the dusty air. A very old vintage sounding music.

Like the dark corridor, this music also seemed strangely familiar to Maggie. There was something haunting to it. Almost like Josette's music box, but there was nothing tingling about it. This music sounded universally severe and powerful. It sent goosebumps up Maggie's arm.

She stared at the paneled wall across from her. The same wall Maggie and Willie witnessed the blonde ghost woman disappearing behind of.

Curiously, Maggie slowly stepped up to the wall and placed her ear against it. She wondered if the haunting music was somehow coming from behind the wall.

She pressed ever closer against it... when someone swooped through the wall and dizzyingly took her into a tight freezing hold, causing her to drop her candlestick, losing her fragile light.

The unearthly hyperactive figure spinned Maggie away from the forbidden wall in a deranged dance.

"_I wanna dance with you..."_ sung out a childish giggling man's voice in Maggie's ear as he continued spinning her up the corridor wildly. "... _wanna dance your cares away..."_

The man carelessly slammed Maggie against the wall close by where she came in. The royally startled Maggie got a good glimpse of her unwanted dance partner. Her eyes dangerously bulged, her heart raced frantically, and her jaw dropped.

The glowing phantom pinning her against the wall was someone who looked startling like... Willie Loomis.

But he wasn't Willie at all. His sandy blonde hair was sleek back, and his brown suit looked to be from the turn-of-the-century.

_"You'd better stay away from there,"_ the ghost warned Maggie firmly. _"It is best we keep him locked up."_

His gray-blue eyes penetrated sharply through Maggie, terrifying her to the core.

_"We mustn't cross him,"_ he whispered narrowly. _"He is_ _a bounder,_ _a rake,_ _a lecher,_ _a liar, and_ _a bully..."_

Maggie shivered under his tight icy grip with each word.

_"Most of all he is_ _a monster,"_ spat the ghost furiously. "_A monster who murdered his own brother!"_

Maggie gasped and shook violently.

_"You look very much like Rachel,"_ the ghost said to her suddenly, somberly.

"Maggie?!"

At the sound of Willie's calling voice, his dead doppelgänger faded away, sending spiky chills down Maggie's neck and spine.

Willie entered the corridor and found the petrified Maggie pinned up against the wall close by.

"Maggie?"

Willie came up to her with his candlestick in hand.

"Maggie?"

In the glow of the candle flame, Willie saw how traumatized and pale Maggie's face was. Her dark eyes were glassy. He hadn't seen her like this since he got her out of Barnabas' old coffin at the Collins mausoleum.

"Maggie? Maggie what's wrong?"

Maggie suddenly glanced at him, and uttered in a small voice, "Willie?"

"Yeah, it's me, Maggie," Willie said to her tenderly.

Eerily, Maggie acted very much like this when Willie rescued her from the coffin.

"Your Willie?" Maggie asked him trembling against the wall.

"Yeah, it's me, Maggie," Willie kindly reiterated.

Maggie unpinned herself off the cold cobwebbed wall, and shakily wrapped her arms around Willie's waist. Willie wrapped one comforting arm around her, while using his other hand to secure the candlestick.

Once she was able to let go of him, Willie placed a gentle hand on Maggie's shoulder, and guided her out of the haunted corridor.

"What happened?" he whispered to her as they left.

The ghost of Carl watched them leave cloaked in the deep shadows of the corridor.

Satisfied with his haunting, he turned right around and found the ghost of the blonde woman looking at him expectantly.

Carl gave her a grave look.

_"There,_ _I did my part in concealing the secret,"_ he whimpered. _"But please don't make me go back in there. Don't make me go behind the wall again, Beth." _

* * *

As the early winter night gradually crept up the walls of Collinwood, Cassandra ascended her way up the spiral stone steps leading up to the neglected tower room. Cassandra held a lit candlestick to guide her way through the dark and squalid area.

After the fiasco with Willie Loomis and Josette's interference that morning, Cassandra knew she needed a private space to confer for secret meetings. A space that must be within the walls of Collinwood so Josette couldn't interfere again.

But, Cassandra also needed a space that would guarantee her privacy so she wouldn't be disturbed by unwelcome intrusions by the current members of the Collins family.

There were so many desolate and isolated rooms to choose from, but Cassandra decided the tower room was the perfect secluded choice.

This area, like most other abandoned areas in Collinwood, was heavily covered in dust, cobwebs, and slow decay.

Once she made it to the top of the spiral steps, Cassandra made her way down the darkened hall. Wasting no time, Cassandra retrieved the key she stole downstairs and reached the large door. She used the key to unlock it and trespassed her way in.

The tower room was dark and shrouded in heavy cobwebs just like the hall. It was adorned with a single filthy barred window. The place was so confined it could be used as a prison. To Cassandra's vague understanding, the room was used exactly for that on more than one occasion. The witch heavily sensed the room had seen its fair share of horror and misery as well as tragedy through the echoes of time.

Standing beside the filthy window with thick cobwebs sticking from the rafters, Cassandra closely gazed down on her small candle flame.

"I need you to come to me," she spoke directly into the flame. "I need you to come here."

Cassandra succeed in tapping into the consciousness of her latest victim. Someone who would serve her unwillingly but submissively.

Cassandra noted Roger had been a pretty obedient servant, but the witch needed extra help to preserve Barnabas' curse, and hopefully provide pleasant enough company.

When Cassandra first laid eyes on him, she immediately knew he would make a desirable servant. She sensed his upcoming presence and heard his footsteps creaking outside the door. The knob turned and the door swung open.

Joe Haskell entered the room with a hypnotic blank stare glazing his blue eyes.

Cassandra grinned triumphantly.

"Close the door and come to me," she ordered him softly.

Joe did what he was told with his gaze glued on the candle flame in Cassandra's hand.

"Did you call to me?" he asked her monotonously.

"Yes, you no longer have a will of your own," Cassandra informed him. "You only serve and obey me from now on."

"I understand." Joe continued staring blankly into the flame. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to prevent Barnabas Collins from being cured," Cassandra ordered him.

"Cured?" Joe said quizzically.

"Yes, from a curse I placed on him long ago," exclaimed Cassandra. "Barnabas must continue to suffer."

"What do you need me to do?" Joe asked his new mistress.

"Watch the Old House and find out how Dr. Julia Hoffman is treating him," Cassandra commanded. "Report to me regularly, and always come when I call you."

"I will." Joe nodded obediently.

"I'm going to leave now," Cassandra told him. "Wait a few minutes after I've gone to leave here."

Joe didn't say anything.

Cassandra stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Joe kept his back squarely on the witch as she left. He waited for a couple of minutes as instructed to turn and leave.

But once he turned away from the window, Joe's heart painfully jolted.

The wispy transparent form of Millicent Collins hovered directly in front of him, looking at him despairingly. A woman who looked strikingly like his own childhood sweetheart.

_"Oh, the witch has cast her wicked spell on you,"_ she said woefully.

She then smiled broadly.

_"Oh,_ _I know how you feel."_ She giggled girlishly. "_I have become mad in this very room!"_

As her tingling laughter grew more robust, Joe's blue eyes rounded in a terror he'd never experienced before in his life.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Past and Present Loves**


End file.
